The controversy surrounding Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has taken a new turn following allegations that a Chinese businesswoman suspected of conducting intelligence activities for Beijing helped facilitate at least $7.5 billion in Nvidia chip shipments to Chinese companies.
According to a Nov. 10 investigation by The Information, Alice Huang, also known as Huang Le, allegedly leveraged her personal relationship with Nvidia’s chief executive to gain access to valuable business connections and secure supplies of advanced artificial intelligence processors.
The report, citing two people familiar with Alice Huang, alleges that a network of companies operating across China and Southeast Asia helped move approximately 240,000 Nvidia chips into China, including H100, H200, and A100 processors.
The allegations add a new dimension to a scandal that initially focused on whether Jensen Huang had been targeted by a Chinese intelligence operation. They also raise questions about whether his relationship with Alice Huang helped Chinese technology companies obtain American AI hardware subject to U.S. export restrictions.
However, Reuters reported on Nov. 10 that it could not independently verify the investigation’s findings. There has been no established finding that Jensen Huang knowingly facilitated illegal chip exports.
For the best of our weekly content！
You are now signed up for our newsletter
Check your email to complete sign up
A network of companies allegedly moved Nvidia chips into China
At the center of the alleged operation was Shanghai Century Litong, a Chinese technology company established in June 2023.
According to The Information, the company obtained preferred cloud partner status with Nvidia by October of that year, giving it priority access to the American chipmaker’s processors.
The investigation alleges that Alice Huang, her husband, and her sister established an interconnected network of businesses designed to acquire Nvidia hardware and provide computing services to Chinese customers.
The relationship between Alice Huang and Jensen Huang reportedly began at least as early as 2023, with The Information describing a corporate structure involving a “labyrinth of companies” spanning China and Singapore.
When orders involving chips subject to U.S. export restrictions encountered difficulties, Alice Huang allegedly used her connections within Nvidia and its distribution network to obtain additional supplies.
Some of the processors reportedly reached data centers serving major Chinese technology companies, including Alibaba and Tencent, as well as smaller artificial intelligence developers.
Another company identified in the investigation was Singapore-based Megaspeed International, which has previously attracted scrutiny from American authorities over suspected shipments of restricted Nvidia processors to China.
In a separate Nov. 10 investigation, Reuters examined more than 30 financial records, corporate filings, and company documents concerning Alice Huang’s business activities.
The news agency established that she became Megaspeed’s controlling shareholder in March 2023 and subsequently served in senior positions connected to its Southeast Asian operations.
Megaspeed’s Malaysian subsidiary, Speedmatrix, was also identified in The Information’s investigation as part of the alleged supply chain.
Reuters reported that Megaspeed had imported Nvidia hardware into Indonesia, including H100 processors, but emphasized that shipments to Indonesia did not themselves establish violations of American export controls.
The findings highlight an important distinction between the legitimate international trade in AI processors and allegations that some hardware was ultimately diverted to Chinese customers in violation of U.S. restrictions.
The H100 and A100 are among the advanced processors Washington has restricted from export to China because of their potential applications in sophisticated artificial intelligence systems.
The H200 has also faced export restrictions, although Washington authorized certain sales to China in January 2026.
Whether the reported shipments violated U.S. regulations depends on factors including when the transactions occurred, their destinations, and the applicable licensing requirements.
Nvidia faces investigations as Washington examines national security risks
The latest allegations come as Nvidia faces mounting scrutiny from its board of directors, American authorities, and shareholders.
On Nov. 8, Nvidia announced an independent investigation following reports that its founder and chief executive had been targeted by a foreign intelligence operation.
In its official statement, the company said: “The Board prioritizes U.S. national and economic security, which is paramount to the interests of NVIDIA and its shareholders.”
The board added that it had “no reason to believe” national security information or company secrets had been compromised.
Jensen Huang also issued a personal apology to Nvidia employees on Nov. 8, acknowledging that he had been unfaithful to his wife.
“I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children,” Huang wrote.
Addressing the national security concerns, he pledged to cooperate with the company’s investigation.
“I am committed to protecting NVIDIA and supporting America’s national security,” he said.
Huang did not identify Alice Huang in his statement or address the specific allegations concerning her business activities.
President Donald Trump confirmed on Nov. 9 that the FBI was examining the situation.
According to a Reuters investigation published Nov. 10, Trump said he had spoken with Jensen Huang, who maintained that he had been unaware of the woman’s alleged intelligence connections.
George Chen, a partner at consultancy The Asia Group, told Reuters that Huang could himself have been the target of a calculated intelligence operation.
“In many respects, Jensen may also be viewed as a potential victim if he was deliberately targeted or manipulated,” Chen said.
China has rejected the allegations.
On Nov. 9, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun dismissed claims that Beijing had attempted to compromise Nvidia’s chief executive.
“The so-called Chinese spy allegation is unsubstantiated. It is nothing but smears against China,” Guo said, according to the Associated Press.
During a subsequent briefing on Nov. 10, Guo declined to provide specific information about Alice Huang’s citizenship or whereabouts.
Meanwhile, Nvidia and its chief executive are facing a proposed shareholder class-action lawsuit filed in federal court in San Jose, California.
The Nov. 9 lawsuit, reported by Reuters, alleges that the company misled investors by failing to disclose material information about Huang’s relationship and the associated national security risks.
Nvidia shares fell 4.3 percent on Monday, reducing the company’s market capitalization by approximately $190 billion.
The allegations arrive at a sensitive moment in the technological rivalry between Washington and Beijing, with advanced semiconductors remaining a central point of contention.
The United States has imposed successive restrictions on exports of powerful AI chips to China, seeking to prevent American technology from accelerating Beijing’s military and artificial intelligence capabilities.
Nvidia, meanwhile, has advocated easing certain restrictions, arguing that continued access to the Chinese market benefits American technological competitiveness.
The latest revelations raise questions about whether existing export controls can effectively prevent restricted chips from reaching China through intermediaries operating in Southeast Asia.
They also highlight the security challenges facing American technology companies whose executives maintain extensive international business relationships.
For investigators, two central questions remain unanswered: whether Alice Huang deliberately exploited her relationship with Jensen Huang to obtain restricted technology or sensitive information, and whether the Nvidia CEO knew anything about the alleged activities.
Original article
Comments