TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Prosecutors on Tuesday filed additional corporate charges against Tokyo Electron in the TSMC 2 nm leak case, seeking fines totaling NT$120 million (US$3.82 million).

Prosecutors noted this is the first time a corporation has been charged with violating the National Security Act in a case involving national core key technology, per CNA.

In late August, Tokyo Electron engineer Chen Li-ming (陳力銘) and TSMC engineers Wu Ping-chun (吳秉駿) and Ko I-ping (戈一平) were indicted for stealing TSMC’s 2 nm trade secrets, per Reuters. They face potential prison terms of 14 years, 9 years and 7 years, and all three remain in custody as the case proceeds in the Intellectual Property and Commercial Court.

Prosecutors later opened a separate investigation and found that Tokyo Electron committed four corporate offenses, including violations of Article 13 of the Trade Secrets Act and Article 8 of the National Security Act, per UDN.

After questioning Chen and several Tokyo Electron employees, prosecutors concluded the company had a legal duty to supervise Chen but failed to establish preventive controls beyond general reminders.

The High Prosecutors Office said Tokyo Electron did not take necessary steps to prevent the misconduct and must bear corporate criminal liability. It added that authorities will work with industries to protect core technologies.