Nvidia has appointed a leading US law firm to conduct an independent investigation into its chief executive Jensen Huang’s alleged relationship with a woman suspected of having links to Chinese intelligence, as the controversy raises fresh questions about corporate security and national interests.
The technology giant announced on Tuesday that it had engaged New York-based Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz to lead the inquiry, with former federal prosecutor Joon Kim overseeing what the company described as a “thorough and independent investigation”.
The move comes amid a separate investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and mounting political pressure on the company, whose artificial intelligence chips have become strategically important to the United States.
Huang, who co-founded Nvidia, has acknowledged having a romantic relationship outside his marriage. The woman at the centre of the controversy, Alice Huang, also known as Huang Le, is alleged to be a Chinese spy. She is not related to the Nvidia chief executive.
She previously worked as an executive at Singapore-based Megaspeed, a company that has purchased Nvidia products and was suspected of helping divert the technology firm’s chips to China.
Nvidia has said it investigated the concerns surrounding Megaspeed and found them to be unfounded. The company has also maintained that US authorities never informed it that the Singaporean firm presented an intelligence risk.
The allegations have attracted attention from senior US officials. According to the New York Times, Secretary of State Marco Rubio circulated a memo to senior officials earlier this year warning about Huang’s close relationship with a suspected Chinese intelligence operative.
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he had spoken with Huang, who reportedly told him he had no knowledge that the woman was a spy. Trump said he believed the explanation.
Meanwhile, leaders of the House Foreign Affairs Committee have requested that Huang appear before lawmakers next week for a closed-door briefing.
Although the Nvidia chief has not confirmed whether he will attend, the committee has the authority to issue a subpoena if it decides his appearance is necessary.
Nvidia’s board had earlier announced the investigation, saying it had no reason to believe the company’s confidential information or US national security interests had been compromised.
It also indicated that a committee of independent directors would supervise the process.
The controversy has coincided with a sharp decline in Nvidia’s market value, with approximately $500 billion wiped off its shares since Friday. Its stock has fallen close to a one-year low.
Nvidia is a central player in the global artificial intelligence industry and is widely regarded as the leading supplier of the advanced processors powering many AI systems. Its position has made the company increasingly important to Washington’s efforts to maintain an advantage over China in the development of artificial intelligence.
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz is among the most prominent law firms in the United States and represents major technology companies, including OpenAI and Salesforce.
Kim, who previously served as a US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, has experience investigating financial fraud and other criminal matters.
The investigation is expected to be treated as a priority because of the close association between Huang’s public image and Nvidia’s corporate identity.
However, it remains unclear whether investigators will be able to interview Alice Huang as part of the inquiry.
Nvidia has also declined to say whether Jensen Huang has engaged his own lawyers to represent him amid the company’s investigation and the separate FBI probe.
China has rejected the allegations, with its Foreign Ministry describing them as an attempt to smear the country.
