The Huawei CFO’s approval can be used in court, US court rules | Court Affairs

CFO Meng Wanzhou said in 2021 that Huawei did business in Iran illegally.

A Huawei executive’s admission that the Chinese company did illegal business in Iran could be used in an upcoming US lawsuit against Huawei, a US judge has ruled.

The verdict was handed down in Brooklyn Superior Court on Tuesday.

The company’s chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, agreed to the deal as part of a 2021 deal to settle charges in the case. He was charged with bank fraud in the US for violating sanctions on Iran. In his four-page statement, Meng admitted to lying to Huawei’s financial board about compliance with sanctions and export regulations.

“Meng was – and still is – the CFO of Huawei Tech,” US District Judge Ann Donnelly wrote. “Huawei Tech does not have to argue that accepting what its CEO said about his conduct on his job – which Huawei Tech adopted – violates Huawei Tech’s rights.”

Donnelly rejected Huawei’s claim that prosecutors could not use Meng’s confession because the company had the right to remain silent despite the allegations. The judge also said it was not necessary for Huawei to question him in the trial.

A Huawei spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Broken relationship with China

Meng, whose father, Ren Zhengfei, founded Huawei, made headlines around the world in 2018 when he was arrested on a US warrant after arriving in Vancouver, straining US-China and China-Canada relations.

The document was issued after a published document accused him and a bank fraud company of misleading HSBC and other banks about Huawei’s business in Iran.

Meng spent nearly three years in prison in a six-bedroom, multi-million dollar mansion in Canada while he fought for the US.

In an unusual decision during the pandemic, he was allowed to appear in court away from Vancouver in September 2021 to enter into a pretrial agreement. aircraft in China a hero’s welcome. The agreement called for the charges to be dismissed later.

As soon as Meng was freed, China was freed two Canadians it had caughtand two American brothers who were forbidden to leave the country were allowed to go home.

The lawsuit against Huawei continues. In addition to the original charges of misleading the banks, the superseding lawsuit accused the company of stealing trade secrets and other charges.

Since 2019, the US has restricted Huawei’s access to US technology, accusing the company of engaging in activities that violate US national security, which Huawei denies.

The company has not only recovered from US restrictions but has also expanded into new business areas, such as smart car accessories, and is a leader in AI development in China.

The case is expected to be decided on September 8.