Nvidia CEO Probe: Board Investigates Huang After China Espionage Report

Nvidia announced on Sunday that it is formally investigating its chief executive, Jensen Huang, following the confirmation that he maintained a romantic relationship with a woman accused of seeking to benefit Chinese intelligence. The board stated that a group of independent directors, assisted by outside legal counsel, will lead the inquiry into the matter. The company indicated that Huang will remain in his position as chief executive while the review is underway.

In a statement, the board expressed continued confidence in Huang and his leadership team. It noted that there is currently no evidence suggesting that Nvidia's secrets or US national security were compromised, though the investigation will still examine all available information. This internal review comes after a report published by The New York Times on October 29 alleged that Huang was the subject of a targeted espionage plot.

The New York Times reported that Alice Huang, also known as Huang Le, worked for Megaspeed, a company that purchased approximately $4.8 billion in equipment from Nvidia. The report claimed Alice Huang, who is unrelated to the Nvidia CEO, sought to build a close personal connection with the company's leader to extract information about its technology. The Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC, has denied any allegations of spying in this specific case.

Huang addressed the situation directly to employees in an email on Sunday. He acknowledged the extramarital affair, writing that he was unfaithful to his wife and that his actions hurt her and their children. He stated, "There is no excuse for what I did." The disclosure has intensified scrutiny from legislators in both parties.

Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren argued that lawmakers had raised concerns about Nvidia's advanced AI chips reaching China for months. She said in a statement that Huang and the board owe answers to Congress and urged the passage of legislation to restrict the transfer of American technology. Meanwhile, Republican Representatives John Moolenaar, Brian Mast, and Rick Crawford demanded that Huang testify before Congress on November 18. They stated it is vital to determine the extent to which US national security is at risk.

The controversy unfolds as the United States and China compete for dominance in artificial intelligence. Nvidia has become central to this race, producing chips for major AI models and seeing its valuation rise into the trillions. The Trump administration took a 15 percent stake in certain Nvidia chip sales to China in August 2025. Following recent midterm elections, Nvidia's market value dropped by $450 billion in a single day before rebounding by 4 percent on Friday.