A US judge has ruled that Meng Wanzhou’s Huawei Iran admission can be used as evidence in the upcoming trial, marking a significant development in the long-running case against the Chinese telecom giant
U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly, Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, and the Chinese telecom company confronted a pivotal legal development in Brooklyn federal court on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, as the judge ruled that Meng Wanzhou’s earlier admission of wrongdoing regarding business in Iran can be used as evidence against Huawei in its upcoming criminal trial.
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Meng Wanzhou made the admission in a 2021 statement of facts as part of a deferred prosecution agreement that led to the dismissal of criminal charges against her.
In the document, she acknowledged misleading a financial institution about Huawei’s compliance with sanctions and export control laws concerning its operations in Iran.
Judge Ann Donnelly determined that the statement, made by Huawei’s senior executive in connection with her official role, is admissible.
The judge rejected Huawei’s objections, noting that the company had effectively adopted the statement and could not claim it violated the firm’s rights.
This ruling strengthens the prosecution’s position in the long-running case, which originated from allegations that Huawei and Meng Wanzhou misled banks including HSBC about the company’s Iranian activities to circumvent US sanctions.
The matter gained global attention when Meng Wanzhou was arrested in Canada in 2018, straining diplomatic relations between the US, China, and Canada.
Meng Wanzhou, daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, spent nearly three years under house arrest before the 2021 agreement allowed her return to China.
The charges against her were later dropped, but the case against Huawei itself has continued, with additional accusations of trade secret theft.
Huawei has consistently denied the allegations and maintains it operates ethically. Despite US restrictions since 2019, the company has shown resilience, expanding into areas such as smart vehicle components and artificial intelligence leadership within China.
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Jury selection in the trial is scheduled for September 8. The developments come amid ongoing geopolitical tensions over technology and national security between the world’s two largest economies.
Victory Emmanuel is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
