Samsung launches quiet probe after alleged DRAM and NAND kickback scheme surfaces
Samsung is investigating alleged kickbacks tied to DRAM and NAND sales in Taiwan, according to a DigiTimes report. The report says Samsung headquarters quietly sent investigators to Taiwan to interview staff in semiconductor related departments after supply chain sources flagged suspected rebates involving employees and local distributors.
DigiTimes says the current shortage and price run-up look different from prior cycles, and analysts expect the crunch to last until 2027. Demand linked to AI systems is pulling supply toward higher-margin products such as HBM and enterprise parts, while general DRAM and NAND products see tighter availability. The report also points to cautious capacity expansion after the pandemic and the phaseout of older DDR4 production as factors that worsened supply and lead times.
The investigation mainly involves several Samsung employees and distributors, who are suspected of “receiving kickbacks” related to memory chips. Even Singapore and China are involved.
— DigiTimes
DigiTimes claims the Taiwan probe has already triggered staff changes, starting with marketing and sales, and that interviews have taken place over the past few days. The report also raises the possibility that the issue extends beyond Taiwan and could involve Samsung’s Singapore and China operations, though it presents that as supply chain talk rather than confirmed findings.
Samsung’s public response, as cited by DigiTimes, is limited. A company spokesperson described the investigation as part of routine operating procedures and declined to comment further.
Source: DigiTimes
