The Justice Department has charged Chinese telecoms company Huawei with bank and wire fraud to circumvent US-led sanctions against Iran, the SCMP reports, in the first official details of the high-profile case that has peaked tensions between China and North America.
The full indictment consisted of 13 counts against the company, Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou – who is awaiting further trial in Canada – and two Huawei affiliates, Skycom Tech and Huawei Device USA.
In a separate case, Huawei was also charged with stealing trade secrets and obstructing justice after carrier T-Mobile accused the Chinese phone maker of appropriating a robotic finger-like technology used to test smartphone screen functions.
FBI Director Christopher Wray said that the cases “expose Huawei’s brazen and persistent actions to exploit American companies and financial institutions, and to threaten the free and fair global marketplace.”