Intel Sees No Merit to Allegations of Suspected Trade Secret Leaks by Ex-TSMC Executive

By Sherry Qin

Intel said it doesn't see any merit to allegations that a former Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. executive who is now working at the U.S. chipmaker leaked trade secrets.

"Based on everything we know, we have no reason to believe there is any merit to the allegations involving Mr. [Wei-Jen] Lo," Intel said in a statement received Thursday.

On Tuesday, TSMC said it had filed a lawsuit against Lo, a longtime senior vice president for research and development who retired from the Taiwanese company this summer. Lo joined Intel as an executive vice president soon after.

TSMC, the world's largest contract chip maker, said "there is a high probability that Lo uses, leaks, discloses, delivers, or transfers TSMC's trade secrets and confidential information to Intel."

Intel said it has rigorous policies and controls in place that strictly forbid the use or transfer of any third-party confidential information or intellectual property.

"We take these commitments seriously," the U.S. company said, adding that talent movement across companies is common in the industry.

Before joining TSMC, Lo spent 18 years at Intel working on the development of its wafer-processing technology, it added.

TSMC didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on Intel's remarks.

Taiwan prosecutors have also started a probe into the suspected leak of TSMC's advanced chip-making technology.

Write to Sherry Qin at sherry.qin@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

November 26, 2025 23:34 ET (04:34 GMT)