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Federal prosecutors say Greg Lui, owner of Earthmade Computer Inc. in City of Industry, California, helped route more than $300 million worth of export-controlled, high-end computer servers containing U.S.-made GPUs to China during 2023 and 2024. The indictment alleges shipments passed through Malaysia and Singapore and used false end-user and destination paperwork. The Justice Department has not identified Nvidia or a specific server or GPU model in its public announcement.
What prosecutors allege
The U.S. Department of Justice announced Lui’s arrest on Oct. 1, 2026. Lui, 38, also known as Yiu Kong Lui, is identified as the owner of Earthmade Computer Inc., a technology company based in City of Industry, California.
According to the indictment summary, Lui and co-conspirators allegedly bought high-end servers containing export-controlled GPUs and arranged for them to reach China without licenses required by the U.S. Commerce Department. DOJ says the alleged conduct occurred from 2023 through 2024.
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The public DOJ announcement describes GPUs manufactured by companies specializing in systems-integration computing, but it does not name Nvidia or identify an exact server or GPU model. The Nvidia reference in the widely circulated headline is therefore not an established fact in the primary announcement.
How the alleged shipping route worked
Third-country transshipment
Prosecutors say the servers were shipped through countries including Malaysia and Singapore before being re-exported to China. The alleged use of intermediate countries was intended to conceal the ultimate destination from U.S.-based manufacturers, according to the indictment summary.
False end-user and destination information
The indictment alleges that paperwork supplied to U.S. manufacturers falsely represented permissible end users and destinations. The alleged misrepresentations concerned where the servers would go and who would receive them, while the equipment was ultimately directed to a China-based buyer.
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A January 2024 transaction cited by DOJ
DOJ describes one transaction in which Lui allegedly submitted a purchase order to a U.S. manufacturer for 27 servers costing approximately $7,614,000. The servers were shipped from Los Angeles to Kuala Lumpur, prosecutors say. A co-conspirator later allegedly told a Malaysian official that the equipment had been transshipped to a China-based buyer.
Money figures in the indictment summary
| Figure | What it represents | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| More than $300 million | Value of computer servers prosecutors allege were smuggled to China | Alleged amount described by DOJ; not an adjudicated finding |
| More than $176 million | Payments Earthmade allegedly received from two Malaysia-based shipment companies | January through October 2024, according to DOJ’s summary of the indictment |
| Approximately $7,614,000 | Price of a purchase order for 27 servers in the cited January 2024 transaction | Specific transaction alleged by prosecutors |
The $300 million figure refers to the alleged value of servers. The $176 million figure refers to money DOJ says Earthmade received during a specified period; the two figures measure different things and should not be treated as the same total.
Charges and stated maximum penalties
The indictment returned on Sept. 29, 2026, charges Lui with three federal offenses:
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| Charge | Maximum term DOJ lists if convicted |
|---|---|
| Conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act and Export Administration Regulations | Up to 20 years |
| Outbound smuggling | Up to 10 years |
| Conspiracy to commit money laundering | Up to 20 years |
These are statutory maximums quoted by the Justice Department, not a prediction of the sentence Lui would receive. Any sentence would depend on the court, the applicable sentencing rules and the outcome of the case; the release does not establish that maximum terms would be imposed consecutively.
Timeline of the case
- 2023–2024: DOJ says the alleged purchasing, paperwork and export activity occurred during this period.
- January–October 2024: Earthmade allegedly received more than $176 million from two Malaysia-based shipment companies, according to the indictment summary.
- Sept. 29, 2026: A federal grand jury indictment was returned, according to DOJ.
- Oct. 1, 2026: DOJ announced Lui’s arrest and said he was expected to make an initial appearance and be arraigned that afternoon.
The reviewed announcement does not establish what happened at that expected appearance or provide a later docket update. It should not be read as confirmation that a particular hearing result occurred.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Has a court found the allegations true?
No. The arrest and indictment are accusations, not a conviction or judicial finding that the alleged shipments occurred as described. DOJ’s notice states: “An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.”
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The public announcement contains no statement from Lui or a defense lawyer. Until the case is resolved, descriptions of the shipments, paperwork, money transfers and intended destinations remain allegations attributed to prosecutors.
What the Nvidia wording means
Nvidia is named in the assigned headline circulating online, but the DOJ announcement reviewed for this case does not identify Nvidia, another specific manufacturer or a GPU model. What is established from that announcement is narrower: the servers allegedly contained GPUs made by U.S.-based companies described as specializing in systems-integration computing, and prosecutors say the equipment was subject to export controls. More precise hardware claims require evidence beyond the cited release.
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