Nvidia, Jensen Huang face shareholder lawsuit over alleged relationship with suspected Chinese intelligence asset

Shareholders file suit

The lawsuit was filed Monday in federal court in San Jose, California. It names Nvidia and Huang, and accuses them of misleading investors about his reported connection to Alice Huang, who is not related to him.

The plaintiffs say the company and its CEO withheld information about national security risks. They are seeking damages, but the amount has not been specified. The case is proposed as a class action on behalf of shareholders.

Investigation and responses

Nvidia announced Sunday that it would conduct an independent inquiry into reports Huang had been targeted by foreign intelligence. The New York Times reported last month that US authorities had concluded Alice Huang was a Chinese intelligence asset.

Huang acknowledged in an open letter that he had been unfaithful to his wife, but did not name the woman. He said, “I support the investigation and will cooperate fully,” and added that he was committed to protecting Nvidia and supporting US national security.

President Donald Trump said Monday the FBI was investigating and voiced support for Huang. Trump said Huang had told him he had no idea the person involved was a spy. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun called the allegation unsubstantiated and said it was “nothing but smears against China.”

Wider stakes for Nvidia

Huang co-founded Nvidia and led its shift from gaming chips to computing technology used in artificial intelligence. The company’s advanced chips are central to competition between the United States and China.

Washington has restricted chip exports to limit Beijing’s access to the technology, while Huang has advocated easing limits on sales to China. The investigations have increased scrutiny of his leadership and whether confidential information may have been compromised.