Nvidia CEO Confesses Affair With Possible Chinese Spy: Company Starts Investigation

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has admitted to cheating on his wife. The confession follows reports that he was in a relationship with a woman who, according to US intelligence, may have been spying for China.

Huang has apologized to employees in a personal statement. At the same time, Nvidia is launching an independent investigation to determine whether sensitive information has fallen into the wrong hands.

The 63-year-old CEO announced his confession on Sunday in an internal letter to Nvidia employees. In it, he writes that he has been unfaithful to his wife and thus hurt his family.

“I have been unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children. There's no excuse for what I did. I am deeply sorry,” Huang writes.

According to the CEO, his family has supported him all his life. He claims to have damaged their trust and to take full responsibility for it.

The statement comes after revelations from The New York Times and the Financial Times about his contacts with Alice Huang, also known as Huang Le. She worked for Megaspeed International, a Singapore-based technology company that uses Nvidia AI equipment.

US intelligence agencies suspect that Alice Huang was used by the Chinese secret service to collect information about Jensen Huang and Nvidia. China may also have sought to influence US export restrictions on advanced AI chips through her.

Huang had previously stated that his contacts with Alice Huang were part of a normal business relationship. He has now admitted that he has been unfaithful to his wife. In his letter, he does not explicitly mention who he had the affair with.

Nvidia's board of directors has announced an independent investigation as a result of the reporting.

A special committee of independent directors will investigate the case, with the help of external legal experts.

The investigation should clarify whether Huang was actually the target of a foreign intelligence operation and whether confidential information was compromised in the process.

NVIDIA emphasizes that at this time, the company has no reason to believe that trade secrets or information important to U.S. national security have been compromised.

Nevertheless, the board of directors wants to examine all available information. Huang has pledged to cooperate fully.

China denies the allegations. A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry called the previous suspicions against Alice Huang unfounded allegations against the country.

Megaspeed is also under fire for allegations that the company violated US export restrictions by channeling Nvidia chips to China. Whether that actually happened is not certain.

The affair has now also attracted the attention of American politics.

President Donald Trump spoke out in support of Huang on Sunday. According to Trump, the Nvidia CEO is a good person and, as far as he is concerned, he can remain as director.

“I didn't talk to him about it. I just know he's a good person, but you never know what's going on,” the president told reporters.

American politicians also want clarification. Last week, key Republican members of the House of Representatives asked for a private conversation with Huang about his contacts with Alice Huang.

Above all, they want to know how Nvidia prevents foreign intelligence services from gaining access to sensitive technology.

The issue thus touches on the growing tensions between the United States and China. Both countries are trying to gain a leading position in the field of artificial intelligence.

Nvidia plays an important role in this. The company provides the powerful chips with which large AI systems are developed and used.

The United States is restricting the export of certain Nvidia chips to China for security reasons. Huang has been arguing for broader access to that market for some time. According to him, American companies can lose their technological edge if China is forced to develop its own alternatives.

The revelations come at a difficult time for Nvidia. The company has benefited enormously from global investment in AI in recent years, but investors are increasingly concerned about the sustainability of that growth.

In October, Nvidia reached a market value of almost $5.8 trillion. Meanwhile, that value has fallen below $5 trillion.

The new affair can cause additional uncertainty, as Huang plays an exceptionally large role within the company.

He co-founded Nvidia and in more than thirty years has expanded the company from a manufacturer of graphics chips to one of the most important companies in the world.

According to Bernstein analyst Stacy Rasgon, it is precisely this dependence on Huang that is a risk. Nvidia does not have a public succession plan and there is no clear candidate who could take over his position immediately.

Huang is known for his direct way of leading. Dozens of managers report directly to him, making important decisions highly concentrated with the CEO.

The analyst warns that questions about Huang's judgment and future could therefore have major consequences for Nvidia.

For the time being, Huang will remain as CEO. The board of directors has the utmost confidence in him and his management team.

Nvidia itself also emphasizes that the day-to-day management of the company will continue. The results of the independent study should provide more clarity about the possible safety risks.

Below is the full memo that Huang sent to his employees on Sunday, translated into Dutch.

Subject: A message to our company

I owe my family and all of you an apology.

I've been unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children. There's no excuse for what I did. I'm deeply sorry.

My whole life, my family has given me love and support. They deserve my honesty and loyalty. Instead, I let them down and damaged the life we built together. I take full responsibility for what I've done and the grief I've caused. I also accept the criticism that comes with it.

To my wife and family: I love you. I know that apologies can't undo what I've done. I hope that our family can recover from this and that I can regain your trust over time.

To my colleagues at Nvidia, including those I've worked with for decades, and to our board of directors, partners, and shareholders around the world: you deserve better from me.

Being able to lead Nvidia is the greatest privilege of my life. It is my responsibility to serve you and be worthy of your trust. I failed at that. I remain fully committed to Nvidia and will work to regain your trust.

As for the national security concerns that have emerged in news reports, Nvidia's board of directors has launched an independent investigation. I support this research and will cooperate fully.

I love our country and our company. I am committed to protecting Nvidia and supporting America's national security. I am proud and grateful to be an American.

My family bears no responsibility for my choices. That responsibility lies with me. I ask you to respect their privacy.