Nvidia board opens independent investigation into CEO Jensen Huang's relationship with alleged Chinese spy

Nvidia's board of directors announced Sunday that it is opening an independent investigation after CEO Jensen Huang was targeted by a foreign intelligence effort. The investigation will be conducted by independent directors working with outside legal counsel.

The announcement followed reports that Huang had an affair with Alice Huang, a former executive at Singapore-based chip company Megaspeed. A memo circulating among U.S. policymakers earlier this year claimed that Alice Huang had been recruited by China's Ministry of State Security to spy on Nvidia's CEO. A person familiar with the matter told NBC News that U.S. intelligence agencies had determined that Alice Huang was a Chinese spy and had a relationship with Nvidia's Jensen Huang. The New York Times and the Financial Times reported that Alice Huang, a Chinese citizen whose Singapore-based company was buying Nvidia's advanced chips, had been under surveillance by U.S. intelligence agencies. Those agencies, the reports said, found that she had been recruited to spy by China's top intelligence agency. The two are not related.

In a memo to Nvidia employees, Huang said: "I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children. There is no excuse for what I did." He also wrote: "To my colleagues at NVIDIA, including those I have worked alongside for decades, and to our board, partners, and shareholders around the world: you deserve better from me." Huang added that he had "fallen short" of his responsibility to the company.

Nvidia's board said that it has "no reason to believe" that either national security or company secrets were compromised. It also said that Huang "fully supports the review and has committed to cooperating with it," and that the board has "confidence in Jensen and his leadership team."

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Monday that "the so-called Chinese spy allegation is unsubstantiated. It is nothing but smears against China."

Speaking Sunday to reporters in Florida, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, "I just can't comment because of the nature of it, and I also can't comment on an internal corporate matter that's going on with Nvidia."

President Donald Trump said he thinks Huang is a "fine person" who should remain CEO of Nvidia. "I think he's an honorable guy," the president said. "He's done an amazing job for our country." Trump also said he would support bringing Huang on his upcoming trip through Asia.

Nvidia shares fell more than 4%, erasing almost $200 billion in value. The broader stock market, as tracked by the S&P 500 and Nasdaq, were sharply higher for the day.

Before Sunday's announcement, Nvidia and Huang were already facing congressional scrutiny over the reports about Megaspeed and its executive. On Thursday, top House Republicans requested a briefing from Huang about the reports. Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Mich., chairman of the House Select Committee on China, said: "Recent reports raise significant national security concerns regarding the PRC's access to sensitive U.S. technology and information."

Sources

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.