Nvidia CEO's affair with suspected Chinese spy triggers DOJ probe and congressional scrutiny

Jensen Huang, the 63-year-old chief executive of Nvidia, is facing a federal investigation and intense congressional scrutiny following reports that he maintained an extramarital relationship with a suspected Chinese spy. The probe was opened by the U.S. Department of Justice, which is examining whether the Singapore-based company Megaspeed violated export control laws. Megaspeed is alleged to have routed advanced Nvidia chips to Chinese users while skirting U.S. regulations.

Huang, who has become a central figure in the U.S. race for artificial intelligence dominance, said this week that he spoke with President Donald Trump as the scandal unfolded. Trump stated that he believed Huang would be in good shape, noting that the Nvidia boss said he had no idea the woman in question was a spy. The president added that the concerns involving Alice Huang, a former Megaspeed executive, did not make a significant impact on him when first mentioned.

U.S. intelligence officials concluded last year that Alice Huang spied for China, according to The New York Times. The Justice Department's National Security Division is now investigating the matter, a person familiar with the inquiry said. Megaspeed did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Tuesday, and Alice Huang was not immediately reachable by The Associated Press.

Nvidia is conducting its own internal review of the situation. The company's board stated it had no reason to believe that national security or corporate secrets were compromised. The board confirmed that Huang would remain in charge while cooperating with investigators. Huang apologized to his company for hurting his wife and children but did not directly address the espionage allegations in that statement.

The affair has heightened tensions in Washington, where lawmakers are debating the strategic importance of Nvidia's chips. Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, said on Monday that Nvidia received approvals to export hundreds of thousands of advanced AI chips to China, including to companies tied to the Chinese military. She noted that the relationship between Huang and Alice Huang raises important questions about whether these export activities were related.

Beijing has rejected the claims, calling the Chinese spy allegation unsubstantiated and describing it as nothing but smears. Huang has previously argued that selling less advanced chips to China helps keep the global AI ecosystem tied to America. He has so far refused to appear before the Senate Banking Committee to answer questions about loosening export restrictions, a stance that drew angry responses from Democrats when the personal scandal broke.

Nvidia has been a key partner in the administration's technology strategy. Trump awarded Huang a National Medal of Science last month and invited him on Air Force One for a state visit to Beijing earlier this year. Nvidia also donated $25 million to help fund the construction of a White House ballroom. Estimates suggest that more than half of stock market gains during Trump's second term have come from the growth of the AI industry and data center construction.