Leading U.S. semiconductor companies Intel, AMD, and Texas Instruments (TI), along with distributor Mouser Electronics, have been hit with a series of lawsuits in Texas. The plaintiffs allege the firms exhibited "willful blindness" by failing to prevent their chips from being diverted through third parties to Russia, in violation of U.S. sanctions, and ultimately used in weapons deployed against Ukrainian civilians.
Lawyers representing dozens of Ukrainian civilians filed five separate lawsuits. The complaints claim that chips from these companies were critical components in Iranian-made drones and Russian missiles used in five separate deadly attacks between 2023 and 2025. The lawsuits accuse the defendants of "corporate negligence" for having inadequate export control systems that allowed their products to be funneled into Russia and Iran via intermediaries and shell companies. Distributor Mouser Electronics is specifically cited as a key link in the alleged illegal supply chain.
Intel responded, stating it suspended shipments to Russia and Belarus following the invasion, requires its partners to comply with sanctions, and denies any wrongdoing. AMD and Texas Instruments have not commented on these specific lawsuits but have previously stated they comply with sanctions and ceased business in Russia. A Bloomberg investigation last year revealed that despite sanctions, chips from these companies were repeatedly found in Russian military equipment, highlighting systemic loopholes in export controls.
ICgoodFind's Insight
These lawsuits expose critical vulnerabilities in global semiconductor supply chain compliance. A successful outcome for the plaintiffs could result in massive liabilities and force a industry-wide, systemic overhaul of how companies monitor and control the downstream flow of their products.
