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Manus AI is one of the hottest AI agent startups around , of late raising $ 75 millionat a half - billion - dollar rating in a round led by Benchmark .
But two unnamed sourcestold Semaforthat the investment is now under follow-up by the U.S. Treasury Department over its obligingness with 2023 restriction on investing in Chinese companies .
Benchmark ’s lawyers reset the investment because Manus is n’t technically develop its own AI models , but is or else a “ wrapper ” around existing ones , Semafor reported .
Those attorney also conclude Manus is not China - based since it ’s incorporate in the Cayman Islands . ( That ’s a unwashed construction used by Taiwanese company , like Alibaba , to get at foreign capital . )
Benchmark has attracted critique for its Manus investment from Founders Fund partner Delian Asparouhov , who posted on X “ wow , actions have consequences ? ” .
wow , action have consequences?im hearing about this for the first timehttps://t.co/lTIcRByz5w
Benchmark , Manus , and Treasury did n’t immediately answer to request for comment .
