On July 4, 2025, a Dutch court sentenced Russian national German Aksenov, a former engineer at ASML and NXP Semiconductors, to three years in prison for illegally transferring sensitive semiconductor technology to Russia. The court also imposed a 20-year entry ban into the Netherlands.

Aksenov, 43, was found guilty of violating EU sanctions against Russia, which have been in place since 2014, and of committing computer hacking offenses. According to Dutch court documents, he transmitted confidential technical documents from ASML and NXP to a Russian contact using communication platforms such as Signal, Telegram, and Google Drive. The shared materials included detailed recommendations on semiconductor processes and required equipment.

The investigation revealed that Aksenov had been collecting sensitive data even before the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war. Between 2021 and 2024, he reportedly received approximately €43,900 from Russian sources. Evidence showed that he shared files via USB drives, cloud folders, and messaging apps, and once delivered a USB drive containing “classified” information to Russian intelligence operatives in Moscow.

Among the leaked files were 105 documents from ASML, 88 related to TSMC, as well as materials from GlobalFoundries and NXP. Dutch authorities considered the stolen information to have potential military applications and deemed it a threat to Ukrainian national security and broader international stability.

Aksenov, who had previously worked at Russia's Rusnano-backed MEMS facility and Belgium's imec, joined ASML in 2018 after the Dutch company acquired bankrupt lithography startup Mapper Lithography. Mapper, where Aksenov had been employed since 2015, had developed electron beam lithography tools, and its technology was integrated into ASML's metrology and inspection units after the acquisition.

The court emphasized in its written judgment that Aksenov's actions—deliberately sharing microchip production-related information with Russian contacts—constituted serious breaches of law, with significant implications for global security. While Aksenov denied being a spy and claimed he retained files solely to preserve his technical knowledge, the court ruled that his conduct amounted to illegal technology transfer.

NXP issued a statement saying it maintains a “zero-tolerance policy” on data theft and fully cooperated with prosecutors. ASML has declined to comment, citing the ongoing nature of the legal proceedings.

The case has sparked renewed concerns over the safeguarding of critical semiconductor IP within European technology companies. As advanced chipmaking equipment is classified as strategic material by many governments, the incident has prompted wider discussion on improving tech security and export control enforcement.