Nvidia has hired prominent U.S. law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz to lead an independent investigation into CEO Jensen Huang’s relationship with a Chinese businesswoman suspected of having ties to Beijing’s intelligence network.
The company announced on November 10 that Wachtell partner Joon H. Kim would oversee a comprehensive review of the matter. Kim is a former acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York and has extensive experience in corporate investigations, financial crimes and white-collar litigation.
“The independent members of the NVIDIA Board have retained former acting U.S. Attorney of the Southern District of New York Joon H. Kim and his firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz to conduct a thorough and independent investigation as was announced on Sunday,” the board said in a statement.
READ: Nvidia probes into Jensen Huang’s affair with Chinese businesswoman amid spy claims (November 9, 2026)
The 63-year-old Alice Huang, a Chinese businesswoman also known as Huang Le, allegedly leveraged her connections with Nvidia’s CEO and its distributors to secure access to advanced artificial intelligence chips, particularly when exports of certain processors to China were restricted under U.S. regulations. She reportedly worked with her husband and sister to establish a network of companies across China and Singapore to procure the chips. She also held an executive position at Megaspeed International, a Singapore-based company.
U.S. intelligence officials reportedly believe she was working for the Chinese government, an allegation that Beijing has rejected, describing it as a campaign to “smear and malign China.”
Nvidia’s board initiated an independent investigation after reports emerged that its CEO may have been targeted by a foreign intelligence operation. The company said it had no reason to believe its trade secrets or U.S. national security had been compromised.
Nvidia is a key player in the global AI boom, with its chips powering many of the world’s leading AI tools and systems. It is the world’s second-most valuable company after Apple. Its advanced processors have also become a national security priority for U.S. officials seeking to maintain the country’s lead in the global AI race.
Meanwhile, Huang addressed his personal conduct in an email to employees, acknowledging that he had been unfaithful to his wife and family.
“My actions hurt her and our children. There is no excuse for what I did. I am deeply sorry,” he wrote. He also agreed to cooperate with the ongoing investigation.
Reports have also raised questions about whether the Trump administration was aware of the alleged intelligence operation. According to The New York Times, Secretary of State Marco Rubio drafted a confidential memo to senior officials in Washington earlier this year.
The FBI is also conducting a separate investigation. In addition, three Republican committee leaders in the House of Representatives had previously asked Nvidia’s CEO to appear before Congress to discuss the company’s security protocols and the possibility of foreign intelligence infiltration.
READ: Trump might greenlight Nvidia to resume operations with China (August 12, 2025)
Trump said he had spoken with Huang about the matter and that the Nvidia chief was unaware of the businesswoman’s alleged intelligence connections.
Nvidia shares have plunged in recent trading, wiping out approximately $500 billion in market value since Friday and bringing the stock close to its lowest level in a year. Shares fell 6% on Tuesday, following a 4% decline in the previous session.