Nvidia has launched an independent investigation into allegations that its chief executive, Jensen Huang, was targeted by a Chinese intelligence operation involving a businesswoman with connections to one of the company’s major customers, raising concerns about the security of advanced American semiconductor technology.
The investigation follows reports by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Financial Times identifying Alice Huang, also known as Huang Le, as a former executive of Singapore-based data center company Megaspeed. According to the reports, US intelligence officials believe she was recruited by China’s Ministry of State Security to gather information about Nvidia’s operations and potentially influence American restrictions on semiconductor exports to China.
The controversy intensified Sunday, November 8, when Jensen Huang acknowledged in an internal message to employees that he had been unfaithful to his wife. Although he apologized for his personal conduct, no evidence has been publicly established that he knowingly participated in espionage or disclosed confidential information to Chinese authorities.
Nvidia launches independent investigation as Congress demands answers
In an official statement Sunday, Nvidia’s board of directors announced that an independent committee, assisted by outside legal advisers, would investigate the allegations. The company emphasized that it had no reason to believe its trade secrets or American national security had been compromised and reaffirmed its confidence in Huang, who will continue serving as chief executive.
The investigation follows a November 4 letter from three senior Republican lawmakers: House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, House Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rick Crawford. The lawmakers requested a closed-door congressional briefing on November 18 to examine Huang’s relationship with Alice Huang and Nvidia’s security procedures.
The lawmakers expressed concern about possible Chinese intelligence efforts to obtain sensitive American technology. Huang was asked to respond by November 11, while the company prepares to announce its quarterly earnings on November 17.
President Donald Trump, who has maintained close relations with Huang during negotiations over semiconductor export restrictions, defended the executive Sunday, describing him as an honorable person. Trump said he had not discussed the allegations with Huang and wanted to hear his explanation before drawing conclusions.
The affair has also affected financial markets. Nvidia shares fell more than 6% in Frankfurt trading on Monday, reflecting investor concerns about potential consequences for the leadership of a company valued at approximately $4.5 trillion.
Megaspeed and allegations involving thousands of restricted AI chips
At the center of the investigation is Megaspeed, a Singapore-based provider of cloud computing services that has reportedly purchased more than $4.8 billion worth of Nvidia processors over the past two years.
According to The New York Times, US authorities have investigated whether the company helped Chinese businesses obtain access to advanced graphics processing units, or GPUs, despite American export restrictions intended to limit China’s artificial intelligence capabilities.
Singapore’s government confirmed on October 31 that investigations involving Megaspeed were ongoing but specifically denied reports suggesting its authorities had investigated Alice Huang’s personal relationship with Nvidia’s chief executive or alleged intelligence connections. China has also rejected the espionage allegations, describing them as unfounded speculation.
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