Taipei: Prosecutors searched the residences of former Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) executive Lo Wei-jen on Wednesday, amid suspicion that Lo leaked the company’s trade secrets, the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office said Thursday.

According to Focus Taiwan, the prosecutors office launched an investigation of Lo on November 18 after learning that he was suspected of violations of the National Security Act. On Wednesday afternoon, prosecutors and officials from the Criminal Investigation Bureau searched Lo’s residences in Taipei City and Hsinchu County, seizing computers, USB flash drives, and other evidence, as stated in the news release.

The office mentioned that the searches were conducted with warrants issued by the Intellectual Property and Commercial Court, where TSMC filed a suit against Lo on Tuesday. Prosecutors also received court permission to seize stocks and real estate belonging to Lo in accordance with Article 133-2 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

These developments come amid allegations that Lo, who retired from TSMC as a senior vice president on July 27 after over two decades at the company, might have stolen trade secrets and leaked them to Intel Corp. Lo previously worked at Intel for 18 years in the United States before joining TSMC in 2004 and was rehired by the American company following his retirement.

Intel has responded by asserting there is “no merit” to the allegations against Lo. Media reports suggest that the 75-year-old Lo allegedly stole restricted information on TSMC’s 2 nanometer, A16, and A14 processes before his retirement. Several local media outlets have reported that Lo, who also holds American citizenship, is not currently in Taiwan.