Nvidia investigates reports of foreign intelligence effort targeting CEO

Nvidia’s board has opened an independent investigation after reports that CEO Jensen Huang was targeted by a foreign intelligence effort. Huang separately admitted he had been unfaithful to his wife and apologized to his family, colleagues and shareholders.

The inquiry follows reports by The New York Times and the Financial Times about Huang’s relationship with Alice Huang, a Chinese businesswoman whom the outlets reported had been recruited to spy for China. The two are not related. China has rejected allegations of an espionage operation targeting the Nvidia chief, calling them “groundless speculation,” according to the BBC.

“The NVIDIA Board is initiating an independent investigation in light of recent reporting that founder and CEO Jensen Huang has been the target of a foreign intelligence effort,” the company said. A committee of independent directors, assisted by outside counsel, will oversee the inquiry.

The board said it had “no reason to believe that either national security or NVIDIA secrets were compromised,” but would examine all available information. A company spokesperson told NBC News that Huang would continue as CEO without interruption and that “today’s news will not slow” Nvidia.

In a memo to employees shared with NBC News, Huang wrote: “I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children. There is no excuse for what I did.” He told his wife and family that he hoped to earn back their trust. Addressing colleagues, the board, partners and shareholders, he wrote: “You deserve better from me.” Huang said he supported the investigation and would cooperate fully, according to the BBC.

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. The agencies concluded that she had been recruited by China’s top intelligence agency, according to those reports. The BBC said The New York Times reported that surveillance uncovered communications between Alice Huang, also known as Huang Le, and an American citizen later identified as Jensen Huang.

It remains unclear what information Alice Huang allegedly passed to Beijing, how valuable it was or when she may have begun gathering intelligence, the BBC reported. The BBC said she did not respond to The New York Times’ request for comment. NBC News said it had not independently confirmed the reports and had sought comment from the Trump administration.

Huang had previously described his interactions with Alice Huang as business-related. “Our relationship, our interactions, have been related to Megaspeed, and it was all completely normal and not unusual,” he said in a statement quoted by NBC News.

Before the board announced its inquiry, top House Republicans requested a briefing from Huang about the reports. “It is vital that Congress determines the extent to which U.S. national security has been placed at risk,” a letter to Nvidia said, according to NBC News.

The scrutiny comes as Nvidia’s chips play a central role in artificial intelligence. NBC News reported that its top-tier products are largely restricted from sale to customers in China because of national security concerns. As of Friday, Nvidia was the world’s second-largest publicly traded company, valued at nearly $4.5 trillion, according to NBC News.