US Prosecutor Calls Huawei a 'Criminal Enterprise' in Federal Trial

A US prosecutor described Huawei as a 'criminal enterprise' that stole from American companies to build its telecommunications empire. The trial against the tech giant kicked off in Brooklyn federal court on Wednesday, with prosecutors accusing Huawei of stealing trade secrets from five US companies, including Cisco and T-Mobile.

The government's opening statement claimed that for 20 years, Huawei victimised American companies and abused the American financial system to dominate the telecommunications industry worldwide. Prosecutors said they will present evidence of Huawei's alleged theft, including video of an employee stealing a robotic arm from T-Mobile.

Huawei's defence painted a different picture, saying it was about competition, not conspiracy, and that its success was due to innovation, not theft. Defence attorney Brian Heberlig said the company earned its success through ordinary business dealings, not criminal conduct.