Investigation Launched After Dell Servers with Banned Nvidia Chips Found in Shanghai

Discovery of Prohibited Servers in Shanghai

According to НВ — Техно: Authorities in Shanghai uncovered Dell servers equipped with Nvidia H800, H100, and H200 chips-components banned from export to China. These servers were procured via Singapore-based Aperia Cloud Services, an official Nvidia partner. The equipment was installed in a data center linked to companies associated with Alice Huang. Bloomberg’s investigation confirms the presence of this restricted technology and reveals financial transactions involving these servers spanning 2024 to 2025.

Investigation Details

The servers identified at the data center include:

• 22 Dell units containing Nvidia H800 chips
• 52 Super Micro Computer servers fitted with either H100 or H200 models

All three chip models are subject to U.S. export controls. In January 2025, Shanghai Longteng Intelligent Computing-a subsidiary founded by Alice Huang-pledged 193 servers valued at 485 million yuan (approximately $73 million) as collateral. The following month, Dell suspended sales and technical support to Aperia International amid suspicions of illegal equipment smuggling.

The head of Aperia was arrested in Singapore in February 2025 on fraud charges but has pleaded not guilty. Megaspeed International, established by Alice Huang in 2023, is considered the largest AI-focused entity connected to this data center. The company is under U.S. scrutiny for allegedly illicitly supplying Nvidia chips to China. Documents also list 119 Gigabyte Technology servers pledged as collateral, though their processor specifications remain unspecified.

Between May and June 2024, a Shanghai Longteng subsidiary purchased servers worth 747 million yuan, which were installed in the same data center. However, details about the manufacturers and specifications of these machines have not been disclosed. Alice Huang transferred her shares in Shanghai Longteng to another owner in 2017, with control passing to Huang Yu, believed to be her sister. Nvidia, Super Micro, and Megaspeed declined to comment on the matter. Super Micro stated its sales complied with U.S. export regulations, while Megaspeed did not respond to Bloomberg’s inquiries.

This case highlights the complexities of global trade involving advanced technology and the security challenges posed by evolving export restrictions amid rapid technological advancements.

The discovery of these servers suggests potential violations of chip export rules, which could have significant repercussions for the companies involved and impact U.S.-China trade relations. Given the ongoing investigations, regulatory authorities and government agencies are expected to scrutinize the situation further.

The ongoing investigation into the illicit procurement of Nvidia chips highlights a broader concern regarding tech exports to China. As scrutiny intensifies, Nvidia's CEO faces allegations related to significant shipments of AI chips, raising questions about compliance with export regulations and the potential implications for international trade relationships.