Belgian prosecutors are investigating whether a former senior BelGaN researcher transferred gallium-nitride semiconductor trade secrets to China. The 52-year-old Belgian-Chinese man was detained at a Brussels airport on May 10, 2026, while preparing to fly to Beijing. The reported case concerns suspected industrial espionage—not a proven theft or a conviction.
What happened at BelGaN
The Belgian federal prosecutor’s office is investigating whether the researcher transferred production-related trade secrets from BelGaN to China. Prosecutors are also investigating possible membership in a criminal organization, misuse of company assets and unlawful disclosure of business secrets.
The researcher remains the central suspect in the reported case, but the available account does not establish that he transferred the information, that a Chinese company received it, or that any court has found him guilty. Belgian prosecutors are also pursuing a second suspect whose identity has not been publicly identified.
The reported detention took place at a Brussels airport as the researcher prepared to board a flight to Beijing. That detail gives the case its sharpest moment, but it does not by itself establish what information may have been transferred or whether any transfer occurred.
The reported GanKool connection
Investigators reportedly suspect that the researcher simultaneously led GanKool, a Chinese chip company developing similar gallium-nitride technology. The reported connection remains unconfirmed, and the available information does not establish GanKool’s role in any alleged transfer.
That distinction matters. A suspected overlap between two companies’ work is not proof that one company received the other’s trade secrets. The precise documents, designs, process details or other technical material allegedly involved have not been identified in the reported case.
Why the bankruptcy investigation matters
BelGaN was declared bankrupt in July 2024 after employing about 400 people. An investigation into the company’s bankruptcy developed into a broader inquiry involving possible industrial espionage and the handling of business secrets.
Investigators seized data-storage devices and electronic communications equipment for analysis. Those items may be relevant to the investigation, but their seizure is evidence-gathering activity—not a final finding about what happened.
Timeline of the reported case
| Date | Event |
| July 2024 | BelGaN was declared bankrupt after employing about 400 people. |
| May 10, 2026 | A 52-year-old Belgian-Chinese researcher was detained at a Brussels airport while preparing to fly to Beijing. |
What GaN is—and why it matters
Gallium nitride, usually shortened to GaN, is a semiconductor material. The reported applications connected with the technology include electric vehicles, satellites, radar systems and electronic warfare.
That range helps explain why production knowledge can matter beyond a single chip product. Semiconductor manufacturing depends on specialized know-how, and the alleged case concerns production secrets rather than a publicly documented consumer specification. The precise technical material at issue has not been identified.
What remains unresolved
The reported investigation describes a detention, suspected offenses and seized equipment, not a final judicial finding. No conviction is established in the supplied account.
Several central questions therefore remain open: what specific information was allegedly transferred, whether any Chinese company received it, and who the second suspect is. The possible identity of that second person has not been publicly established.
The bottom line is straightforward: Belgian authorities are investigating a potentially important semiconductor-security case tied to BelGaN and gallium-nitride technology, but the available facts do not justify calling the researcher a spy or thief as a matter of fact. The legal case—and the technical substance of the allegation—still turns on evidence that has not been publicly detailed.
