OnePlus CEO Pete Lau Faces Arrest Warrant: Everything We Know So Far

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On January 14, 2026, a major tech scandal broke as Taiwanese prosecutors issued an arrest warrant for Pete Lau (also known as Liu Zuohu), the CEO and co-founder of OnePlus.

This move is part of Taiwan’s aggressive “talent poaching” crackdown, aimed at preventing mainland Chinese companies from siphoning off its high-tech engineering expertise.

The Core Allegations

  • Illegal Recruitment: Prosecutors from Taipei’s Shilin District allege that Lau illegally hired over 70 Taiwanese engineers to work on software research, development, and testing for OnePlus and Oppo.
  • Shell Companies: Authorities claim OnePlus circumvented local laws by setting up an unapproved branch in Taiwan via a Hong Kong-based shell company. This allowed them to operate and recruit without the mandatory government approval required for mainland Chinese businesses under the Cross-Strait Act.
  • Duration: The clandestine operation reportedly began as far back as 2014–2015, with over $72 million USD allegedly wired to the Taiwan branch under the guise of “R&D outputs” to fund the illegal hiring.

Current Status

  • Active Warrant: Pete Lau now faces an active arrest warrant in Taiwan. He is also the Chief Product Officer at Oppo, making this a significant blow to the leadership of two of the world’s largest smartphone brands.
  • Indictments: Two Taiwanese nationals, who reportedly acted as the nominal heads of the local branch to help Lau, have also been indicted.
  • Company Response: OnePlus issued a brief statement claiming that “business operations continue as normal” and that the probe has not affected day-to-day functions. Pete Lau himself has not yet made a public statement.

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