Two U.S. citizens and two Chinese nationals living in the United States have been charged with conspiring to illegally export advanced NVIDIA Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) with artificial intelligence applications to China, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida.
The individuals arrested are Hon Ning Ho, also known as “Mathew Ho,” a 34-year-old U.S. citizen born in Hong Kong residing in Tampa, Florida; Brian Curtis Raymond, a 46-year-old U.S. citizen from Huntsville, Alabama; Cham Li, also known as “Tony Li,” a 38-year-old Chinese national from San Leandro, California; and Jing Chen, also known as “Harry Chen,” a 45-year-old Chinese national on an F-1 student visa residing in Tampa, Florida. Ho and Chen were arrested and appeared in court in the Middle District of Florida on November 19, 2025. Raymond was taken into custody and appeared before the Northern District of Alabama court. Li was arrested and scheduled to appear in the Northern District of California.
“As demonstrated by this indictment, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida is firmly committed to safeguarding our country’s national security,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “Thanks to the dedicated investigative work by our law enforcement partners, these defendants who wrongfully exported this sensitive technology are facing justice.”
According to information provided by prosecutors, China aims to become a global leader in artificial intelligence by 2030 and intends to use AI for military modernization efforts including weapons development and advanced surveillance tools. The Department of Commerce implemented new licensing requirements starting October 2022 that restrict exports of such technologies—including NVIDIA GPUs—to China.
Between September 2023 and November 2025, authorities allege that Ho, Raymond, Li, and Chen conspired to circumvent these export controls by shipping high-performance GPUs through Malaysia and Thailand before sending them on to China. The group used Janford Realtor LLC—a company based in Tampa controlled by Ho and Li—as a front for their activities; despite its name suggesting real estate services, it never engaged in property transactions but instead facilitated GPU purchases for illegal export.
Raymond allegedly supplied NVIDIA GPUs via his Alabama-based electronics business as part of this operation.
Prosecutors say there were four attempted exports: two successful shipments sent between October 2024 and January 2025 delivered approximately 400 NVIDIA A100 GPUs to China; two additional attempts involving Hewlett Packard supercomputers equipped with NVIDIA H100 GPUs as well as separate H200 units were disrupted by law enforcement prior to completion.
The indictment states that none of those involved sought or obtained required licenses for any shipments despite being aware they were needed under federal regulations. Investigators further allege conspirators lied about shipment destinations on documents meant to evade detection while receiving more than $3.89 million via wire transfers from China related to these transactions.
The government is seeking forfeiture of fifty NVIDIA H200 GPUs connected with the alleged unlawful exports.
Charges against each defendant include conspiracy under the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA), smuggling counts, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and multiple counts of money laundering itself—with maximum penalties ranging up to twenty years per ECRA or money laundering violation or ten years per smuggling count.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court proceedings.
The investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations alongside Defense Criminal Investigative Service personnel and officials from the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph K. Ruddy and Lindsey N. Schmidt will prosecute along with Menno Goedman from the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence section.
