China's Huawei Technologies faces racketeering trial in New York

September 8, 2026 - 08:23

NEW YORK - Huawei Technologies, one of China's largest telecommunications and smartphone makers, is set to stand trial in a New York federal court on criminal racketeering charges. Prosecutors allege the company engaged in a long-running scheme to steal U.S. technology and trade secrets, and that it plotted to use deceptive tactics to conceal its actions from American partners and regulators.

The case, which has been in pretrial motions for years, centers on accusations that Huawei worked with local partners to misappropriate proprietary designs for wireless equipment and other hardware. Federal attorneys argue that the company used shell entities and misleading contracts to obtain sensitive technical data, then integrated that information into its own products sold globally. The indictment also claims Huawei tried to recruit former employees of U.S. firms to gain insider knowledge.

Huawei has denied all wrongdoing, saying the charges are politically motivated and that it has always operated within international trade laws. Company representatives have pointed to previous settlements with U.S. authorities on unrelated matters as proof of their willingness to cooperate. Defense lawyers are expected to challenge the evidence as circumstantial and argue that the alleged actions never rose to the level of criminal intent.

The trial is scheduled to begin with jury selection next month. Legal observers say the proceedings could last several weeks, with testimony from former executives and technical experts. The outcome may have broad implications for how U.S. courts handle corporate espionage cases involving foreign state-backed firms. For now, Huawei continues to sell its products in many markets outside the United States, though its access to American components remains restricted under separate export controls.