Taiwanese prosecutors have conducted raids on the homes of Wei-Jen Lo, a former senior executive at semiconductor giant TSMC, following allegations that he leaked trade secrets to his current employer, Intel. Computers, USB drives, and other materials were seized as part of the investigation, which was carried out under the National Security Act, authorities said.

The probe comes after TSMC, the world’s largest contract chipmaker and supplier to companies including Nvidia, filed a lawsuit against Lo in Taiwan’s Intellectual Property and Commercial Court. The company alleged a “high probability” that Lo disclosed proprietary information to Intel, prompting legal action to protect its trade secrets. A court also approved the seizure of Lo’s shares and real estate.

Intel, Lo’s current employer, has denied any wrongdoing, stating that it “has no reason to believe there is any merit to the allegations” and emphasizing that strict policies prohibit the use of third-party confidential information. The U.S. chipmaker said Lo is a respected figure in the semiconductor industry and that talent movement between companies is a normal part of the sector.

Lo, who joined Intel in October after retiring from TSMC following a 21-year career, played a key role in TSMC’s mass production of advanced 5-nanometre, 3-nm, and 2-nm chips. Before his tenure at TSMC, he spent 18 years at Intel.

The case highlights the growing scrutiny over intellectual property protection in the semiconductor industry, a sector increasingly viewed as strategically critical on a global scale.