The report of a criminal antitrust investigation follows a report in December that US authorities were investigating whether to ban TP-Link wireless routers, which were targeted in high-profile attacks linked to the Chinese government. TP-Link was founded in China in 1996 but said it relocated its headquarters to the US in October 2024.
TP-Link was split into two entities, one based in the US and one based in China, Bloomberg wrote, but the “US-based entity being scrutinized by Justice and Commerce Department officials still has substantial operations in mainland China.” Another Bloomberg article earlier this month described how TP-Link still has a sizable presence in China.
The Bloomberg report said the criminal antitrust investigation is in addition to “a parallel civil investigation into the company’s pricing practices” that was revealed in earlier reporting. Civil complaints have a lower burden of proof, while criminal probes can result in prison time for individuals and companies being fined as much as $100 million, Bloomberg wrote, noting that such “probes can take years to complete and may not result in charges.”
TP-Link told Bloomberg that it hadn’t received an inquiry from the Justice Department but is ready to cooperate. “The company also denied selling products below cost and said it maintains ‘a policy of transparency in our business practices, ensuring fair pricing for our valued customers,'” the article said.
We contacted TP-Link today and will update this article if it provides any further comment.
