By Diego Almada Lopez
Publication Date: 2026-10-09 22:11:00
A former contractor for Super Micro Computer Inc. has admitted his part in a scheme to move Nvidia-powered AI servers into China. Ting-Wei ‘Willy’ Sun pleaded guilty on October 9, 2026, in a New York federal court to charges tied to violations of US export controls.
How the alleged scheme worked
The indictment lays out what prosecutors describe as a conspiracy spanning several years. At its center: approximately $2.5 billion worth of Supermicro servers allegedly sold to a company in Southeast Asia.
That buyer was, according to the indictment, less of a final destination and more of a layover. Servers were allegedly rerouted through the Southeast Asian entity and on to customers in China.
The pace picked up sharply at one point. Prosecutors allege that more than $510 million worth of servers went to Chinese customers in a three-week window running from late April to mid-May 2025.
The methods described in the case are decidedly low-tech for a high-tech crime. Servers were allegedly repackaged in unmarked boxes, and false paperwork was allegedly created to mislead US authorities about where the equipment was really headed.
The hardware at issue is not ordinary office kit. The concerns center on advanced AI chips, including Nvidia’s H200 and B200 models, which sit squarely in the category of technology Washington has been trying to keep out of Chinese hands.
Who else is caught up in the case
Sun is not the only name in the indictment. The…
