Singapore seizes luxury home in Nvidia AI chip smuggling probe

Singapore authorities have seized a luxury home worth 55 million Singapore dollars ($42.5 million) as part of an investigation into an alleged scheme involving the illegal trade of servers containing export-controlled AI chips made by Nvidia.

Police said Wednesday the property was allegedly purchased using proceeds from the scheme, with about 38 million Singapore dollars of the purchase price believed to have been funded through criminal earnings.

The home, located near Singapore's Botanic Gardens in one of the city-state's most exclusive residential districts, has been placed under a prohibition order preventing its sale while investigations continue.

Authorities said Wei Zhaolun, chief executive of Aperia Group, will be charged with money laundering in connection with the property purchase. Around one million Singapore dollars held in bank accounts has also been seized.

Police said four people have been charged since February 2025 with fraud, money laundering and other alleged offenses linked to the case.

Investigators allege the suspects ordered servers from global suppliers by falsely claiming they would be used by companies they worked for. Authorities have not disclosed the final destination of the servers.

According to police, the servers were purchased from Dell Technologies, Super Micro Computer and ASUS.

Singapore-based technology companies Luxuriate Your Life and three firms under the Aperia Group also face charges in what police described as the first prosecution of corporate entities under the investigation.

Police said Singapore maintains a "zero-tolerance" approach toward such offenses and will act against anyone who undermines the country's reputation as a trusted global business hub.

The investigation comes amid heightened efforts by Singapore and the United States to prevent the illegal transfer of advanced Nvidia chips after Washington imposed export restrictions on the technology in 2022 over concerns it could be used for Chinese military applications. Authorities have previously identified Singapore as a transit point for suspected unauthorized shipments of servers containing restricted AI chips.