{"id":59975,"date":"2026-03-19T20:38:24","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T00:38:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/super-micro-co-founder-charged-in-2-5b-export-scheme-morgan-stanley-warns-of-lng-shortfall\/59975\/"},"modified":"2026-03-19T20:38:24","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T00:38:24","slug":"super-micro-co-founder-charged-in-2-5b-export-scheme-morgan-stanley-warns-of-lng-shortfall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/super-micro-co-founder-charged-in-2-5b-export-scheme-morgan-stanley-warns-of-lng-shortfall\/59975\/","title":{"rendered":"Super Micro Co-Founder Charged in $2.5B Export Scheme; Morgan Stanley Warns of LNG Shortfall"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Super Micro Computer (<a href=\"\/stock\/SMCI\">SMCI<\/a>) co-founder Yih-Shyan &quot;Wally&quot; Liaw has been charged in a $2.5 billion illegal export scheme involving restricted AI servers sent to China.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Morgan Stanley has issued a major warning for 2026, forecasting an LNG supply shortfall that could drive JKM prices to $30\/MMBTU.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Amazon (<a href=\"\/stock\/AMZN\">AMZN<\/a>) faced widespread service disruptions across the United States, with thousands of users reporting issues with checkouts and site access.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Asia-Pacific markets opened with mixed results as the ASX 200 fell 0.4% while the KOSPI gained 0.5% amid a market holiday in Japan.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Super Micro Co-Founder Indicted in Major Export Scandal<\/h2>\n<p>Federal prosecutors have charged a co-founder of Super Micro Computer (<a href=\"\/stock\/SMCI\">SMCI<\/a>) and two associates for their roles in a massive scheme to illegally export advanced AI servers to China. The indictment alleges that the group diverted approximately <strong>$2.5 billion<\/strong> worth of hardware containing restricted Nvidia (<a href=\"\/stock\/NVDA\">NVDA<\/a>) chips by using Southeast Asian front companies and forged shipping documents.<\/p>\n<p>In response to the charges, Super Micro Computer (<a href=\"\/stock\/SMCI\">SMCI<\/a>) announced the immediate suspension of the involved individuals and stated it is <em>fully cooperating with the ongoing federal probe<\/em>. Shares of the server manufacturer reportedly plummeted over <strong>9%<\/strong> in extended trading as investors weighed the potential for severe regulatory penalties and reputational damage.<\/p>\n<h2>Morgan Stanley Forecasts 2026 LNG Supply Shortage<\/h2>\n<p>Morgan Stanley has significantly revised its energy outlook, predicting a substantial <strong>LNG supply shortfall<\/strong> for 2026. Analysts now expect the benchmark Asian JKM (Japan Korea Marker) price to surge to <strong>$30\/MMBTU<\/strong> as geopolitical tensions and production outages in Qatar absorb the previously anticipated global surplus.<\/p>\n<p>The bank also raised its <strong>2027 JKM forecast to $15\/MMBTU<\/strong>, signaling that <em>high energy costs may persist longer than initially expected<\/em>. This shift in market dynamics is largely attributed to the Middle East conflict, which has delayed key expansion projects and forced a restructuring of global trade flows.<\/p>\n<h2>Amazon Services Face Widespread US Disruptions<\/h2>\n<p>US users reported significant service issues with Amazon (<a href=\"\/stock\/AMZN\">AMZN<\/a>) early Friday, according to data from the outage-tracking site <strong>Downdetector<\/strong>. The disruptions appear to be centered on the e-commerce platform&#39;s checkout process and product pricing displays, leaving many shoppers unable to complete transactions.<\/p>\n<p>While Amazon (<a href=\"\/stock\/AMZN\">AMZN<\/a>) has not yet released a detailed technical post-mortem, initial reports suggest the issues may be linked to a <em>software code deployment error<\/em>. The outage follows a period of heightened sensitivity regarding cloud infrastructure stability following recent regional disruptions in other parts of the world.<\/p>\n<h2>Asia-Pac Trade Muted by Japanese Holiday<\/h2>\n<p>Equity markets in the Asia-Pacific region saw a fragmented start to the session on Friday. Australia\u2019s <strong>ASX 200<\/strong> declined by <strong>0.4%<\/strong>, pressured by recent swings in oil prices, while South Korea\u2019s <strong>KOSPI<\/strong> managed a <strong>0.5%<\/strong> gain as investors reacted to a deluge of central bank announcements.<\/p>\n<p>Trading volumes were notably thinned due to the absence of Japanese participants, as markets in Tokyo remained closed for the <strong>Vernal Equinox holiday<\/strong>. <em>Market sentiment remains cautious<\/em> as investors navigate mixed geopolitical headlines and the implications of shifting interest rate paths across major economies.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Super Micro Computer (SMCI) co-founder Yih-Shyan &quot;Wally&quot; Liaw has been charged in a $2.5 billion illegal export scheme 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