Dishonest Intel OEM Engineers To Get Five Years Behind Bars

qubit · Jan 3, 2012

The Taiwan Criminal Investigation Bureau has been doing a bit of investigating and has arrested four engineers working for Intel's OEM partners (names not disclosed) for flogging Engineering Sample (ES) processors on eBay. ES processors are intended strictly for qualification testing purposes for development of new products by OEM's and are only loaned to them under strict non-disclosure agreements, hence putting these on eBay is illegal. The Bureau searched the suspects houses last month and found 178 ES CPU's, worth around $800,000. Note that this value seems to be somewhat high, as it would make each CPU worth around $4,500. We will update this article if new values come to light. Also, this is not a new operation that has been busted, since the suspects had admitted to selling around 500 ES CPU's since 2009. For their efforts, the fab four now face five years in prison.

It should be noted for anyone contemplating the purchase of such dodgy CPU's on eBay or similar places, that they may be overstressed and contain faults, due to the intensive and sometimes destructive testing they go through.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

RoutedScripter · Jan 3, 2012

Haha

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=157125
http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2494910&postcount=27

AlienIsGOD · Jan 3, 2012

qubit said:
ust don't it, kids.

Qubit your getting lazy, it should read "don't do it, kids"

All in all though, these guys knew what they were selling was illegal and now they have to face consequences for their actions.

TheLostSwede · Jan 3, 2012

Great, except the Chinese companies give away 1,000's of ES CPUs to their staff that are sold on the grey market in China...

Mindweaver · Jan 3, 2012

2nd News story i've read completely with out skimming in 2012... hehehe keep up the good work guys! :toast:

I just don't see these guys making a whole lot of money out of this? Do they know 4 guys that make motherboards for such chips? :rolleyes:

I can see them make some money, but i doubt they could sale all of those chips before launch. But if they wait until after launch and sale them.. then maybe

cdawall · Jan 3, 2012

I have had quite a few of these grey market chips I never saw any faults with them. In fact my i3 560ES clocked quite well.

Mindweaver · Jan 3, 2012

cdawall said:
I have had quite a few of these grey market chips I never saw any faults with them. In fact my i3 560ES clocked quite well.

When they say faulty.. that's there way of brain washing the sheep... Hey don't eat that early candy.. it's not a sweet as the candy that we will put out in a few months... :roll:

qubit · Jan 3, 2012

AlienIsGOD said:
Qubit your getting lazy, it should read "don't do it, kids"

Oh duh! I kept looking at that phrase and it just didn't look right - now I know why. :laugh:

Thanks, fixed.

brandonwh64 · Jan 3, 2012

My friend still has my X3430 ES chip and it did 4Ghz stable for some time now.

pr0n Inspector · Jan 3, 2012

RuskiSnajper said:
Haha

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=157125
http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2494910&postcount=27

Are you dumb or what? This is about OEM employees stealing chips from work and selling them on ebay. What, you think it's wrong to prosecute thieves now?

cdawall · Jan 3, 2012

brandonwh64 said:
My friend still has my X3430 ES chip and it did 4Ghz stable for some time now.

My i3 560 did 4.8ghz stable for 24/7 on an H70 :laugh:

great chips they are

qubit · Jan 3, 2012

btw people, 178 CPU's at $800,000 makes them around $4500, which seems unlikely, so I've updated the article to reflect this.

cdawall · Jan 3, 2012

qubit said:
btw people, 178 CPU's at $800,000 makes them around $4500, which seems unlikely, so I've updated the article to reflect this.

Depends who is buying them. I know certain people who sold pre-release 945ES chips for almost double retail. I also know for a fact that ES XE chips from Intel would likely fetch that.

faramir · Jan 3, 2012

AlienIsGOD said:
Qubit your getting lazy, it should read "don't do it, kids"

http://www.youryoure.com/

Bjorn_Of_Iceland · Jan 3, 2012

Someone should remind them not to pick up the soap when it slips from their hand.

trickson · Jan 3, 2012

Haha !!!!

Ferrum Master · Jan 3, 2012

I have a Xeon ES X5550... no problems with it... what is wrong to sell chips, with no warranty for enthusiasts... hell it is china

peoples republic and peoples property...

Intel feeling guilty for not selling well 999$ flagship crap?

TheMailMan78 · Jan 3, 2012

qubit said:
btw people, 178 CPU's at $800,000 makes them around $4500, which seems unlikely, so I've updated the article to reflect this.

Depends on who the buyer is and WHAT chip they had.

HossHuge · Jan 3, 2012

qubit said:
btw people, 178 CPU's at $800,000 makes them around $4500, which seems unlikely, so I've updated the article to reflect this.

What if this is quoted in Taiwan dollars? Which would make it about $27 000. That makes them about $150 each.

The Taiwan Criminal Investigation Bureau swooped on the four in Taoyuan for their role in selling engineering sample CPUs online for fun and profit. Speaking to the China Post, a Bureau spokesman said the gang of four were all engineers working for Intel's OEM manufacturers in Taiwan although he did not say which ones.

Taoyuan is where I live.

qubit · Jan 3, 2012

HossHuge said:
What if this is quoted in Taiwan dollars? Which would make it about $27 000. That makes them about $150 each.

No, if you click on the China Post link in the TechEYE article I linked to, you'll see that they quote a value of NT$2.5 million. Assuming that's Taiwan dollars, then that does indeed come out to around $800K - check it out at currency converter www.xe.com

Unless I've missed something, I believe this to be correct.

HossHuge · Jan 3, 2012

qubit said:
No, if you click on the China Post link in the TechEYE article I linked to, you'll see that they quote a value of NT$2.5 million. Assuming that's Taiwan dollars, then that does indeed come out to around $800K

I see it now. Seems like an awful lot of money for a cpu though.
I am really curious as to what company it could be. There are so many around here. I'll ask around tomorrow and see if I can find out.

Honestly, after having taught English at Benq, FSP Group, Delta and Unimicron(they do pcb boards for many companies like Apple), I can see why these guys would try it.

Most of the engineers here work 12 to 15 hour days and are paid about $1200 to $1800US a month.

cadaveca · Jan 3, 2012

Intawestin.

So, what pro clockers have been missing lately?

:banghead:

RoutedScripter · Jan 3, 2012

pr0n Inspector said:
Are you dumb or what? This is about OEM employees stealing chips from work and selling them on ebay. What, you think it's wrong to prosecute thieves now?

Not sure what you're talking about, misunderstanding the post a little hmm ?

Munki · Jan 3, 2012

Greedy much? If your an Intel Engineer you aren't hurting for money. Enjoy your cell, just don't let Bubba enjoy you.

Wrigleyvillain · Jan 3, 2012

These were not Intel employees rather at OEM partners like Acer or HP or a hundred(s) others that make products with Intel CPUs.

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Dishonest Intel OEM Engineers To Get Five Years Behind Bars

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