Intel has defended itself against accusations that its latest executive hire stole trade secrets, as TSMC sues the exec and Taiwanese prosecutors say they’ve begun a probe into the incident.

Wei-Jen Lo, a Taiwanese engineer, joined Intel this fall, hired to help the company improve its mass production processes. He’d previously worked at the American company in the ‘80s, during its boom years, before joining TSMC in 2004, helping to oversee that company’s most successful period too.

This week TSMC announced that it was suing Lo, alleging that he violated his employment contract and noncompete agreement, along with Taiwan’s Trade Secrets Act. “There is a high probability that Lo uses, leaks, discloses or transfers TSMC’s trade secrets and confidential information to Intel, thus making leg

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