GoKawiilNYT investigation finds two Nvidia H200 export licensees have no real offices
The New York Times reports that two Chinese firms, New Matrix and Maginfra, approved to buy Nvidia H200 chips, operate out of empty offices unknown to building receptionists and nearby workers. Public records tie New Matrix's founder, Li Bin, to Wise Road Capital, a US-sanctioned private equity firm, and to Tsinghua Unigroup and New H3C Semiconductor Technologies, both flagged by US authorities.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The findings suggest the Commerce Department's export licensing process may not be verifying the identities or backgrounds of approved buyers, according to former NSC China director Liza Tobin, who says neither Commerce nor Nvidia appears to be doing adequate due diligence. If shell-like entities with ties to sanctioned firms can obtain licenses, it could indicate a pathway for restricted AI chips to reach the Chinese military despite export controls.
- Two little-known Chinese firms with no verifiable physical presence were cleared to buy Nvidia H200 chips.
- New Matrix's founder has documented links to a US-sanctioned equity firm and government-linked tech conglomerates.
- The case raises questions about whether US export license reviews are rigorous enough to prevent diversion to sanctioned entities.
Source: tomshardware.com — Jowi Morales, 2026-11-08
Published there as: “Two Chinese companies cleared to buy banned Nvidia AI chips have empty offices and unknown addresses”
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