Two Chinese nationals residing in California have been arrested and charged with illegally exporting advanced United States semiconductor technology, including Nvidia’s high-end H100 AI chips, to China in violation of federal export controls, the United States Department of Justice announced on Tuesday.
Chuan Geng, 28, of Pasadena, and Shiwei Yang, 28, of El Monte, allegedly shipped tens of millions of dollars’ worth of restricted technology to China between October 2022 and July 2025 without obtaining the required licenses from the U.S. Commerce Department.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, the pair operated through their El Monte-based company, ALX Solutions, which they founded shortly after the U.S. introduced strict export controls to limit China’s access to sensitive technology amid rising concerns over Beijing’s military advancement.
Federal authorities said ALX Solutions conducted over 20 shipments to freight forwarding companies in Singapore and Malaysia—both countries often used as transshipment points for circumventing trade restrictions. Payments for the shipments, however, were traced back to firms based in China and Hong Kong, not the intermediaries.
In January 2024, ALX reportedly received a $1 million payment from a China-based company, with additional funds coming from other entities in the region. From August 2023 to July 2024, the company purchased more than 200 Nvidia H100 chips from Super Micro Computer, a San Jose-based server manufacturer, claiming the chips were destined for clients in Singapore and Japan.
One shipment, invoiced at nearly $28.5 million, listed a Singaporean customer. However, a U.S. export control officer in Singapore later determined that the recipient company did not exist at the given address, and there was no evidence the chips ever arrived in the country.
In statements, both Nvidia and Super Micro affirmed their commitment to U.S. export compliance. Nvidia emphasized that its products are primarily sold through vetted partners and warned that diverted items receive “no service, support or updates.” Super Micro added that it cooperates fully with authorities but declined to comment on the ongoing case.
Geng, a U.S. permanent resident, was released on a $250,000 bond after appearing in federal court in Los Angeles on Monday. Yang, who allegedly overstayed her visa, remains in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for August 12. Attorneys for both defendants have not responded to requests for comment.
