Two Chinese Nationals Charged with Illegal Export of Nvidia AI Chips to China
August 6, 2025 – Two Chinese nationals residing in the United States have been charged with unlawfully exporting advanced Nvidia AI microchips to China, violating U.S. export control laws. The case highlights ongoing U.S. efforts to curb the transfer of cutting-edge technology to sensitive foreign markets, particularly China.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) unveiled the charges against Chuan Geng, 28, of Pasadena, California, and Shiwei Yang, 28, of El Monte, California. Both are accused of exporting Nvidia’s H100 GPUs — considered the most powerful AI graphics processing units currently available — without securing the mandatory licenses from the U.S. Department of Commerce. These microchips play a critical role in enabling artificial intelligence applications, including autonomous vehicles and medical diagnostic systems.
According to the DOJ complaint, the pair operated a company named ALX Solutions Inc., based in El Monte, which they used to facilitate the illegal shipments from October 2022 through July 2025. While Geng is a lawful permanent resident, Yang reportedly overstayed her visa and is currently detained pending a court hearing scheduled for August 12. Geng surrendered to federal authorities and was subsequently released on a $250,000 bond.
Exporting such AI chips to China without government authorization breaches the Export Control Reform Act and could result in penalties of up to 20 years imprisonment. The arrests underscore U.S. government efforts to prevent strategic technologies from being used in ways that might compromise national security or give foreign competitors a technological edge.
The Nvidia H100 chip is deemed critical due to its capabilities in high-performance computing and AI development, fueling applications like self-driving cars, advanced medical diagnostics, and other AI-powered innovations. By restricting these exports, the U.S. aims to curb technological advantages reached by countries deemed strategic competitors, particularly in the realm of artificial intelligence.
This case adds to a series of enforcement actions by U.S. authorities targeting individuals and companies misusing U.S. technology export rules. It serves as a warning that violations will be tracked and prosecuted rigorously to safeguard American technological leadership.
The DOJ’s announcement did not mention whether additional suspects or related companies are under investigation, but it reflects a continuing priority for U.S. agencies to police sensitive microchip exports amid growing global competition in AI technology.