A 52-year-old engineer of Belgian-Chinese origin, identified as H.L., was arrested at Brussels airport on May 10 before his flight to China. The Belgian federal prosecutor's office revealed the details of the investigation on September 7.
H.L. held a senior research position at BelGaN, a company specializing in gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductors. These components are used in power electronics for high-voltage and high-frequency operations with lower energy losses.
Investigators suspect H.L. of transferring specialized technologies and production knowledge from BelGaN to the Chinese company GanKool. It is alleged that H.L. simultaneously managed GanKool, which developed similar GaN semiconductor technology.
GanKool was established a few months after H.L. joined BelGaN and received funding from a Chinese investment fund. The investigation began following BelGaN's bankruptcy in the summer of 2024.
Authorities initially examined the financial circumstances of the bankruptcy, but discovered suspicious corporate operations and ties to the Chinese competitor. Some BelGaN executives and employees may have facilitated the company's collapse after transferring technological knowledge.
H.L. is charged with industrial espionage, membership in a criminal organization, misuse of company assets, and illegal disclosure of trade secrets. Another suspect remains free, and the former CEO of BelGaN, a Chinese citizen, is also linked to GanKool.