A Brooklyn federal judge has ruled that Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou’s 2021 confession can be used as evidence in the criminal trial against Huawei Tech. In the four-page document, Meng admitted lying to a financial institution about Huawei’s compliance with sanctions and export controls. U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly rejected Huawei’s objections, stating the company cannot dispute statements made by its senior executive within her official duties. Meng, daughter of founder Ren Zhengfei, was arrested in Vancouver in 2018 on bank fraud charges and held under house arrest in Canada before reaching a deferred prosecution agreement in 2021. Jury selection is scheduled for September 8.
In-Depth:
A Brooklyn judge ruled that Meng Wanzhou’s 2021 confession can be applyd as evidence against Huawei Tech, raising new legal stakes.
In a federal court in Brooklyn, a ruling has been issued that could affect the course of the upcoming criminal case against Huawei. According to the ruling, the confession of a senior company executive may be applyd as evidence in the case against Huawei Tech.
The Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou created this confession as part of a 2021 agreement that provided for the dismissal of criminal charges against her. In the four-page document, she admitted lying to a financial institution about Huawei’s compliance with sanctions and export controls.
“Meng Wanzhou was – and remains – Huawei Tech’s chief financial officer,” wrote U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly in the ruling on the admissibility of the confession during the trial. “Huawei Tech should not have the right to dispute that accepting the statement about the conduct of its senior executive within the scope of his official duties – which Huawei Tech has accepted – violates Huawei Tech’s rights.”
– U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly
The judge also rejected Huawei’s argument that prosecutors cannot apply the confession becaapply of the company’s right to remain silent or lack of responses in the case. In the judge’s view, Meng Wanzhou does not required to be questioned during the trial.
A Huawei spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.
The 2018 arrest and China’s reaction
Meng Wanzhou, daughter of company founder Ren Zhengfei, found herself at the center of global attention in 2018 after an arrest at the United States’ request upon her arrival in Vancouver. The charges concerned bank fraud for providing banks with false information about Huawei’s conduct in Iran.
She spent nearly three years under hoapply arrest in Canada during the fight over extradition to the United States. In 2021 a deferred prosecution agreement was reached, after which she was released to China, where she was greeted upon her return. After her release Huawei focapplyd on developing new directions, including components for automobiles and artificial innotifyigence in China.
In the case the company was also accapplyd of stealing trade secrets and other crimes. Since 2019 the United States has restricted Huawei’s access to American technologies, accutilizing the company of actions that threaten national security; Huawei denies these accusations.
The trial is ongoing, and jury selection is scheduled for September 8.
