Exclusive-Chinese tech firm founded by Huawei veterans in the FBI’s crosshairs | U.S. & World [Video]

By Alexandra Alper

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Commerce Department and FBI are both investigating a little-known telecoms hardware firm founded by senior Huawei veterans in China more than a decade ago over possible security risks, sources and documents show.

Founded in 2014, Baicells Technologies opened a North American operation the next year in Wisconsin and has since provided telecoms equipment for 700 commercial mobile networks across every U.S. state, according to its website.

The Commerce Department is investigating Baicells on national security grounds and has sent subpoenas to the company while the FBI’s interest in its equipment and Chinese origins dates back to at least 2019.

Reuters is the first to report the existence of the two investigations and the FBI’s long-standing interest. This story is based on interviews with more than 30 current and former government officials, eight former Baicells employees and FBI emails obtained through a records request.

Reuters was …