Nvidia Board Probes CEO Jensen Huang Over Chinese Spy Affair
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admitted to an affair with a suspected Chinese spy, triggering an independent board investigation and congressional scrutiny over national security risks.
The board of Nvidia has launched an independent investigation into CEO Jensen Huang after he admitted to an extramarital affair with Alice Huang, a former executive at the Singapore-based firm Megaspeed. U.S. intelligence agencies identify Alice Huang as an asset for China's Ministry of State Security who allegedly targeted the CEO to gather intelligence and influence U.S. AI chip export policies. In a memo to employees on November 8, 2026, Jensen Huang apologized for being "unfaithful to my wife" and pledged full cooperation with the probe.
Congressional leaders from three House committees have requested a closed-door briefing with Huang on November 18 to assess potential national security breaches. The scandal coincides with reports that Secretary of State Marco Rubio oversaw a classified memo this spring warning the administration of the relationship, and that President Donald Trump was briefed on the intelligence a year ago but took no action. Trump has since defended Huang as an "honorable guy" and a "fine person."
Parallel investigations are targeting Megaspeed, which is suspected of smuggling billions of dollars in restricted Nvidia chips into China. The U.S. Department of Justice has taken over a criminal inquiry into the firm after the Department of Commerce halted its own probe following an intervention by Nvidia executives. The controversy has caused significant market volatility, with Nvidia shares falling between 5% and 14% as investors weigh key-man risk and the potential for stricter U.S. export controls.
