Nvidia CEO caught in alleged honey trap: girlfriend suspected of being Chinese spy, board orders probe

Jensen Huang, chief executive officer (CEO) of Nvidia, the world's leading artificial intelligence (AI) chip maker, has admitted to an extramarital affair with a woman whom US intelligence agencies suspect of being a Chinese spy.

The revelation came after an independent investigation committee was formed to examine whether Huang, head of the multinational chip maker valued at 4.5 trillion dollars, had become a target of international espionage.

Citing a classified intelligence memo prepared under the supervision of the US State Department and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US media reported that Huang's girlfriend, Alice Huang (not a relative), had been recruited by China's main intelligence agency, the Ministry of State Security (MSS).

The intelligence report, based on electronic surveillance, identified Alice Huang as part of a Chinese 'honey trap' operation.

Alice Huang is a top executive of Megaspeed, a Singapore-based technology company that buys billions of dollars' worth of advanced AI chips from Nvidia. Megaspeed is already under investigation on allegations of helping smuggle advanced AI processors and chips into China by bypassing US export restrictions.

After the matter came to light, the 63-year-old Jensen Huang admitted in a message sent to colleagues that he had broken his marital vows.

Huang, who married Lori Mills in 1985 and is the father of two children, wrote in the message: 'I was not faithful to my wife. What I did has caused my wife and children terrible pain. There is no excuse for my behaviour. I apologise most sincerely.'

In a statement on Sunday, Nvidia's board of directors said it is investigating whether the company's CEO had been targeted by an international intelligence agency. The board said that even while the investigation committee, made up of independent directors and legal counsel, is at work, its confidence in Huang's leadership remains intact.

On behalf of the board, it said: 'Nvidia gives the highest priority to the national and economic security of the United States. Our preliminary review has found no evidence that national security or any of Nvidia's technical secrets have been compromised, but all information will be examined impartially. Jensen has assured full cooperation with this investigation.'

In the AI technology race between the United States and China, the Biden administration imposed strict bans on exports of advanced chips to China. But after Donald Trump became US president for a second term, Jensen Huang had been lobbying the White House strongly to relax the rules on selling chips to China.

Even though the US administration was aware of the Chinese chip conspiracy, Huang continued to play a highly influential role in Trump's policy circles. In 2026, he was even nominated to Trump's Science and Technology advisory council.

On Sunday night, answering journalists' questions, President Donald Trump stood by Huang, describing him as a 'respected and wonderful person'.

Trump said: 'He has done tremendous work for our country. I have not heard that he has done anything wrong. He got involved in a relationship with someone, but many people do that.'

Jensen Huang founded Nvidia in 1993 while sitting in a diner restaurant in California. Over the next three decades, under his leadership the company became the world's most influential technology company.

However, the exposure of this sensitive relationship between a top technology executive and a woman linked to the Chinese government has raised major new concerns in US domestic politics and in the technology sector over national security.