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● LIVE Updated 1h ago · 11 sources tracked

U.S. Cleared Nvidia Chips to Chinese Firms With Empty Offices and Troubling Ties

A New York Times investigation found the U.S. Commerce Department authorized two Chinese companies — New Matrix and Maginfra — to receive Nvidia H200 AI chips despite both listing addresses that appear to be vacant offices. Reporters visiting the sites found no sign of operations, and building occupants said they had never heard of the firms. Corporate records show the companies share shareholders and directors with entities previously blacklisted for supplying the Chinese military, raising questions about the rigor of export‑license vetting.

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⚡ Key Developments & Real-Time Context
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  • ✓ The U.S. Commerce Department granted licenses allowing New Matrix and Maginfra to purchase Nvidia H200 AI chips.
  • ✓ Reporters found the listed offices for both companies vacant, with no employees or signage present.
  • ✓ Corporate filings link New Matrix and Maginfra to shareholders and directors of firms already on the U.S. Entity List for supporting the Chinese military.
🛡️ Source Corroboration: 11 independent reporting domains (92% confidence) ⏱ Read time: ~2 min

What changed

The New York Times published an on‑the‑ground investigation revealing that two newly licensed Chinese buyers of restricted Nvidia H200 chips operate from empty offices and have ownership ties to sanctioned military suppliers.

Live updates

  1. U.S. Approved Nvidia H200 Chips for Chinese Firms With Empty Offices and Military Links

    A New York Times investigation found the U.S. Commerce Department authorized two Chinese companies, New Matrix and Maginfra, to receive Nvidia H200 AI chips despite both listing addresses that appear to be vacant offices. Reporters visiting the sites found no sign of operations, and building occupants said they had never heard of the firms. Corporate records show the companies share shareholders and directors with entities previously blacklisted for supplying the Chinese military, raising questions about the rigor of export‑license vetting.

    Why it matters

    Washington has restricted exports of advanced AI accelerators to China since 2022 to slow Beijing's military modernization. The rules require end‑user checks and license reviews, but the approvals for New Matrix and Maginfra suggest those safeguards were bypassed or applied loosely. Nvidia has previously warned that overly broad bans could push customers toward domestic Chinese alternatives.

    What is confirmed

    • The U.S. Commerce Department granted licenses allowing New Matrix and Maginfra to purchase Nvidia H200 AI chips.
    • Reporters found the listed offices for both companies vacant, with no employees or signage present.
    • Corporate filings link New Matrix and Maginfra to shareholders and directors of firms already on the U.S. Entity List for supporting the Chinese military.

    Still unconfirmed

    • Additional Chinese shell companies may have received similar chip licenses without proper vetting.

    What to watch next

    • Commerce Department response or audit of the licensing process
    • Potential expansion of Entity List designations to New Matrix and Maginfra
    • Nvidia statement on compliance and future shipments to the two firms
    Sources used for this update (13)
    1. www.nytimes.com — The New York Times - Breaking News, US News, World News and Videos
    2. www.marketbeat.com — Top Biotech Stocks To Research - October 14th | MarketBeat
    3. www.theverge.com — Here’s Nintendo’s overview trailer for the Ocarina of Time remake.
    4. www.theverge.com — The US let Nvidia sell chips to an empty office in China
    5. The Verge — The US let Nvidia sell chips to an empty office in China
    6. The New York Times — U.S. Cleared Nvidia Chips to Chinese Firms With Empty Offices and Troubling Ties
    7. Yahoo Finance — Nvidia's Quiet New Ultimatum to Stop China Chip Smuggling
    8. Tom's Hardware — Two Chinese companies cleared to buy banned Nvidia AI chips have empty offices and unknown addresses — investigation reveals businesses have ties to sanctioned Chinese military suppliers
    9. Wccftech — NVIDIA’s Jensen Huang Rejects Anthropic’s Total China Chip Ban Push, Says “I Completely Disagree” And Believes “America Is About Competition”
    10. Wccftech — Investigation Finds Chinese Military-Linked Firms Somehow Gained Approval To Assemble NVIDIA H200 AI GPUs, Highlighting A Half-Baked U.S. Approval System
    11. www.yahoo.com — Two Chinese companies cleared to buy banned Nvidia AI chips ...
    12. wccftech.com — Investigation Finds Chinese Military-Linked Firms Somehow ...
    confidence 92%
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