US Lawsuit Against Huawei Set for Trial in Early 2026

A long-standing criminal lawsuit filed by the US Department of Justice against the Chinese technology company Huawei, accusing it of misleading banks regarding its operations in Iran, is heading to court in January 2026.

During a meeting in New York on Thursday, Alexander Solomon, a senior official at the department, informed a US judge that "settlement discussions have reached an impasse. We believe it would be wise to set a trial date."

The judge suggested that starting the trial in early January 2026 would be favorable.

The case, which has strained relations between the United States and China since 2018, began with a complaint that led to the arrest of Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer, in Vancouver, Canada, under a US arrest warrant.

As part of a 2021 agreement, charges against Meng, the daughter of the company's founder, were dropped.

Solomon stated that prosecutors expect the trial to last between four to six months.

Huawei was accused in 2018 of bank fraud and misleading HSBC and other banks about its operations in Iran, which are subject to US sanctions.

In 2020, the Department of Justice added additional charges to the case, alleging that Huawei conspired to steal trade secrets from six US technology companies and aided Iran in tracking anti-government protesters in 2009.

Since 2019, the United States has restricted Huawei's access to American technology, accusing the company of engaging in activities harmful to US national security, a claim Huawei denies.

Huawei, a global telecommunications equipment and consumer electronics manufacturer, has faced intense scrutiny from the US government over allegations of espionage, intellectual property theft, and violations of sanctions.

The US government has imposed various restrictions on Huawei's access to American technology and its ability to do business with US companies, citing national security concerns.

The legal battle between Huawei and the US government reflects broader geopolitical tensions between the US and China regarding technology dominance and security.