Greg Lui DOJ charges: All about tech CEO accused of smuggling $300 million in Nvidia chips to China

A California technology company owner has been arrested after US federal prosecutors accused him of helping smuggle more than $300 million worth of export-controlled computer servers containing US-made graphics processing units (GPUs) to China.

California technology company owner has been arrested after US federal prosecutors accused him of helping smuggle more than $300 million. (X/@USAO_LosAngeles)Greg Lui, 38, also known as Yiu Kong Lui, was arrested on October 1 and charged in a three-count federal indictment, according to the US Department of Justice. Lui is the owner of Earthmade Computer Inc., a technology company based in the City of Industry, California.

The case centers on allegations that Lui and his co-conspirators used third countries, false documents and freight-forwarding arrangements to get restricted technology to China without the required US export licenses.

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Lui is a San Gabriel resident and the owner of Earthmade Computer Inc., which prosecutors describe as a closely held technology company. According to the indictment, Earthmade was used between 2023 and 2024 to purchase and ship export-controlled technology.

Prosecutors allege that the servers contained high-end GPUs manufactured by companies specializing in Super Intelligence, or SI, computing. They say Lui knew the actual end users of the servers were in China despite documents indicating otherwise.

The charges against him include conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act and Export Administration Regulations, outbound smuggling and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

According to the indictment, Lui and his co-conspirators allegedly sent restricted servers to countries including Malaysia and Singapore, where the required US export license was not needed, before arranging for them to be re-exported to China.

Prosecutors also allege that false documentation was provided to US manufacturers, making it appear that the servers were being shipped to permitted destinations and end users.

In one example cited by the DOJ, Lui submitted a purchase order in January 2024 for 27 servers worth about $7.614 million. The servers were shipped from Los Angeles to Kuala Lumpur. A later email to a Malaysian government official allegedly confirmed that the 27 servers had been transshipped to a buyer in China.

From January through October 2024, Earthmade allegedly received more than $176 million from two Malaysia-based shipment companies, according to the indictment.

Lui faces three federal counts involving export-control violations, smuggling and money laundering. If convicted on all charges, he faces statutory maximum sentences of 20 years on the conspiracy count, 20 years on the money-laundering count and 10 years on the smuggling count, according to the DOJ.

US authorities said the investigation involves the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and the FBI's Counterintelligence and Espionage Division.

The DOJ stressed that the indictment contains allegations only. Lui is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.

Asmi is a Senior Content Producer primarily covering stories related to NRIs, immigration, visas, citizenship and global mobility. She closely follows developments that affect Indians living, working and studying abroad, with a particular focus on translating complex policies and international developments into clear, accessible stories for readers. As part of the US Desk, Asmi also reports on a wide range of political, economic and social developments in the United States, exploring their relevance to Indian and global audiences. Her work spans breaking news, features, trends and explanatory stories, with an emphasis on accuracy, timely reporting and audience-focused storytelling. Asmi likes finding the human angle behind major developments and bringing context to stories that can often feel complicated or distant. She is especially interested in stories around immigration, life abroad, careers, education and the experiences of the Indian diaspora, while also exploring a wide range of topics that spark curiosity and conversation. Outside the newsroom, Asmi is an avid reader and loves travelling, discovering new places, experiencing different cultures and collecting stories along the way.Read More