Who Is Harald Herchen & Where Is He Now? 2026 Update & Profile

Harald Herchen became the focus of international scrutiny after the 2019 disappearance of his wife, Alice Ku Herchen, during a trip to Taiwan. Once known primarily for his engineering work and technology patents in Silicon Valley, Herchen is now closely associated with the wrongful death verdict, perjury charges, and homicide investigation tied to Alice’s case.

Years after Alice vanished near Taroko Gorge in Taiwan, Herchen remains in the United States while facing mounting legal pressure from both California prosecutors and Taiwanese authorities. Although he has denied responsibility for Alice’s disappearance and death, civil jurors in California found him liable for her wrongful death in 2025.

• “The Gorge”: Dateline Examines the Alice Ku Herchen Disappearance April 10 2026
• Who Was Alice Ku Herchen & What Happened to Her? 2026 Update & Profile

Harald Herchen’s Background and Career

Harald Herchen is a Silicon Valley engineer, inventor, and investor with a history of work in the technology sector. Court records and reporting on the Alice Ku case identify him as someone who held numerous patents and had professional ties to other engineers in the Bay Area.

He has also been linked to Bloom Energy, where trial reporting described him as working as an investor. During the wrongful death proceedings, testimony indicated that Herchen owned multiple properties in the Bay Area and lived comfortably financially.

Herchen lived in Los Altos, California, though court records also tied him to residences in Mountain View and Palo Alto during different periods connected to the investigation.

Personal Life Before Alice Ku’s Disappearance

Harald Herchen married Alice Ku in October 2017.

The marriage was not known to Alice’s family at the time. Her relatives only learned about it after she disappeared in Taiwan in late 2019.

Court testimony showed that Harald had previously been married to Melissa Yu. Yu died in June 2017. According to medical examiner findings referenced during legal proceedings, her death was attributed to cardiac arrest caused by obstructive sleep apnea.

Investigators in the Alice Ku case later examined aspects of Harald’s relationships, including testimony that there had been overlap between his prior marriage and his relationship with Alice.

Harald Herchen’s Account of Alice Ku’s Disappearance

Alice Ku vanished on November 29, 2019, while traveling in Taiwan with Harald.

Herchen said the couple had spent time sightseeing near Taroko National Park in Hualien County. According to his testimony, he later dropped Alice at Hualien Train Station so she could travel alone to visit her parents near Taipei.

He claimed Alice later emailed him to confirm she had arrived safely.

That explanation became a central issue in both the investigation and wrongful death trial because Alice’s family said they were not expecting her and did not know she was in Taiwan.

Investigators also challenged Herchen’s version of events through cellphone records, digital forensic evidence, and surveillance analysis.

The Evidence That Raised Suspicion

A major focus of the case involved what investigators described as a forged proof-of-life email.

Experts testified that an email supposedly sent from Alice after her disappearance actually originated from the hotel Wi-Fi network where Harald was staying alone that night in Hualien.

Google account records, IP address evidence, and Gmail login history were presented to support that conclusion.

Taiwanese investigators also said cellphone tower data contradicted Herchen’s claim that Alice went to the train station. According to testimony, the phones connected to Alice and Harald appeared to return to the hotel instead.

Another issue examined during trial involved Herchen’s injured hand.

Medical testimony stated he suffered a fractured hand around the time Alice disappeared. Herchen gave different explanations over time for how the injury happened, including roughhousing, punching furniture, and inflating a tire.

Doctors testified that the fracture pattern was consistent with a punch.

Jurors later said inconsistencies in Herchen’s explanations affected their view of his credibility.

The Wrongful Death Verdict

Alice Ku’s parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Santa Clara County, California.

After hearing testimony from investigators, technical experts, doctors, Taiwanese law enforcement, and family members, a jury reached a unanimous verdict in July 2025.

The civil jury found Harald Herchen responsible for Alice Ku’s death.

Alice’s parents were awarded $23.6 million in damages.

Reports from the courtroom said Alice’s family reacted emotionally as the verdict was read after years of searching for answers.

Post-trial efforts to overturn the verdict were denied.

Criminal Charges After the Civil Trial

Legal troubles for Harald Herchen extended beyond the wrongful death case.

Santa Clara County prosecutors later charged him with seven felony counts of perjury.

Those charges are tied to statements he allegedly made under oath during the wrongful death lawsuit and related probate proceedings connected to Alice Ku’s disappearance.

The accusations focus on conflicting testimony and statements made during depositions.

Herchen has been released on bail while those proceedings continue.

Taiwan’s Arrest Warrant

Taiwanese authorities separately issued an arrest warrant for Harald Herchen in connection with Alice Ku’s death.

Investigators from Taiwan’s Criminal Investigation Bureau concluded Alice was the victim of homicide.

However, despite the active warrant, Taiwan faces a major legal obstacle.

The United States and Taiwan do not have a formal extradition treaty. Because of that, Taiwanese authorities have limited options for compelling Herchen to return there for criminal proceedings.

This diplomatic issue has become one of the most frustrating aspects of the case for Alice Ku’s family.

Where Is Harald Herchen Now?

As of the latest public reporting, Harald Herchen remains in California.

Court records and media coverage place him living in Los Altos, California.

He has continued to deny responsibility for Alice Ku’s disappearance and death.

Although the California civil jury found him liable in the wrongful death case, no U.S. criminal homicide conviction has been entered against him regarding Alice’s death.

He is, however, dealing with the pending felony perjury charges filed in Santa Clara County.

At the same time, Taiwan’s homicide warrant remains active.

A Public Figure in a Very Different Spotlight

Before Alice Ku’s disappearance, Harald Herchen’s public identity centered on engineering, patents, and Silicon Valley success.

Today, his name is primarily connected to one of the most troubling missing persons cases involving an American family and an overseas disappearance.

Dateline NBC’s The Gorge revisits how investigators used digital evidence, courtroom testimony, and international cooperation to challenge Herchen’s account of what happened in Taiwan.

For Alice Ku’s family, the case remains larger than verdicts or warrants. Alice’s body has never been found, and many questions remain unanswered.

For Harald Herchen, the legal scrutiny surrounding Alice Ku’s disappearance is far from over.