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The scheme is believed to be motivated by China's efforts to bolster its artificial intelligence capabilities, which are viewed as critical for military and economic competition with the United States. The export of advanced chips and supercomputers is highly regulated under federal law, requiring comprehensive reporting—regulations that the suspects allegedly evaded.
Documents reveal that Hoe was attempting to rebrand his front company in May, changing its name from "Janford Realtor" to "Janford AI Solutions," likely to mask the true nature of their operations. Prosecutors estimate that the scheme generated close to $4 million in profit, with some of the high-tech parts recovered and others reportedly still en route to China.