The 13-count indictment that includes charges of conspiracy, bank fraud, obstruction of justice and money laundering, among others
OTTAWA — United States justice officials announced criminal charges against Huawei Technologies chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou, confirming that a formal request for her extradition from Canada will be filed this week.
The announcement late Monday afternoon came after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau fired his China ambassador this weekend for politically-charged comments about Meng’s “strong” legal case against extradition.
Meng, Huawei Technologies, its main U. S. subsidiary and a “de facto subsidiary” in Hong Kong, Skycom, are subject to a 13-count indictment that includes charges of conspiracy, bank fraud, obstruction of justice and money laundering, among others, the U. S. acting attorney general, Matt Whitaker, announced during a press conference in Washington, D. C.
The company is accused of lying about its affiliations to Skycom so as to enlist unknowing U. S. banks in skirting American sanctions on business in Iran. Meng, specifically, was charged “based upon her own personal conduct and not because of actions or misconduct by other Huawei employees,” said the U. S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Richard Donoghue. Huawei is also facing a separate 10-count indictment related to industrial espionage.
“These are very serious actions by a company that appears to be using corporate espionage and sanctions violation to not only enhance, potentially, their bottom line, but also to compete in the world economy and this is something that the United States will not stand for,” said Whitaker.
“We will not stand idly by while any entity, whether it’s a foreign government or corporation, seeks to criminally or unfairly undermine our country’s place in the world,” Christopher Wray, the director of the FBI, added.
