Huawei faces racketeering trial in US over espionage allegations

Federal prosecutors opened their case against Huawei Technologies and three of its subsidiaries in Brooklyn on Wednesday, accusing the world's leading supplier of wireless network equipment of operating a criminal enterprise spanning multiple countries and decades. The Department of Justice alleges the company engaged in technology theft from American firms, misused the US financial system, and provided assistance to Iranian authorities for surveillance purposes. Huawei, which commands a significant share of the global telecom infrastructure market, has faced increasing scrutiny from Western governments over national security concerns. The United States has barred the company from supplying equipment to domestic carriers, and it has been similarly restricted or blacklisted by allied nations including Canada and Britain. The trial, which opened with opening arguments from both prosecution and defence teams, is expected to examine the company's operations across roughly 170 countries with approximately 200,000 employees. The defence has contested the government's allegations, characterizing the prosecution's case as reliant on isolated incidents and misconduct by individual employees rather than systematic corporate policy. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for Huawei's international business operations and global technology supply chains.