US officials probe alleged spy and Nvidia partner Alice Huang

Chinese businesswoman Alice Huang has become the center of intense scrutiny following accusations by U.S. officials that she operated as an intelligence asset for Beijing. The allegations suggest she gathered information from Nvidia, one of the world's most valuable technology companies, while developing a close personal relationship with the chipmaker's chief executive, Jensen Huang. Although the two are not related, they have been photographed together at various public events, a connection that has drawn significant attention from lawmakers and regulators.

According to a report from The New York Times last month, U.S. authorities concluded that Huang was targeted by a foreign intelligence effort and subsequently passed data to China. While Reuters could not independently verify the specific intelligence claims, the agency noted that the Chinese government has denied the allegations. As of this week, both an independent board investigation at Nvidia and an FBI inquiry are active. Reuters was unable to determine Huang's current location to seek her comment on the matter.

Before entering the global race for artificial intelligence chips, Huang built a career in Chinese finance and media. Also known as Huang Le, she reportedly held senior roles at Shanghai Hexi Investment Management. Chinese financial records and database entries indicate she previously worked in banking and investment management, including positions at HSBC's private bank in Hong Kong and CITIC Securities. She also has an earlier career in television journalism. A business card reviewed by Reuters listed her as a partner and general manager with an office in Shanghai's Lujiazui financial district, though the location now appears to be under renovation with no visible signage for the firm.

Huang emerged in the tech sector by becoming the controlling shareholder of Megaspeed International, a Singapore-based cloud computing company. Corporate records indicate she assumed this role in March 2023. Megaspeed, which was incorporated in 2015, describes itself as an Nvidia business partner in the Asia-Pacific region. In October 2025, The New York Times reported that Megaspeed was under U.S. investigation regarding whether it assisted Chinese customers in obtaining advanced Nvidia chips subject to export controls.

Shipping records reviewed by Reuters show that Megaspeed's Indonesian subsidiary imported Nvidia hardware, including H100 processors and related components, between 2024 and 2026. These items were sourced from suppliers including Giga Computing, a subsidiary of Taiwanese server manufacturer Gigabyte. The H100 is among the advanced processors restricted from export to China. While the shipments to Indonesia do not automatically prove a violation of U.S. export controls, they have intensified the scrutiny on the company's activities.

The connection between the two Huangs was highlighted during the 2024 Computex technology trade show. A party hosted by Gigabyte saw Alice Huang and Jensen Huang seated next to each other, a moment captured in a photograph posted on LinkedIn. Gigabyte, which manufactures AI servers using Nvidia chips, did not respond to requests for comment regarding the interaction.

Corporate filings reveal that Megaspeed shares were transferred in late 2023 to SwiftData, a Singapore-based entity that holds all ordinary shares. Washington-based research group C4ADS stated it could not determine the ultimate controller of SwiftData but assessed that Alice Huang may have continued to exercise influence, citing appearances where she was identified as the company's chair. Megaspeed and SwiftData did not respond to recent inquiries.

U.S. lawmakers are now seeking answers from Nvidia regarding the CEO's awareness of the alleged intelligence activity and whether sensitive information was compromised. George Chen, a partner at consultancy The Asia Group, noted that Jensen Huang could be viewed as a potential victim if he was manipulated without knowledge of the individual's true intentions. Nvidia has stated that its CEO meets thousands of customer executives annually and that its Asian cloud customers receive ordinary business information rather than trade secrets or national security data.

U.S. President Donald Trump commented on the situation on Monday, saying he was amazed by the allegations involving one of his closest allies in Silicon Valley. Trump said he spoke with Jensen Huang, who told him he had no idea the woman was a spy. The developments have added another layer of complexity to the already high-stakes environment of the global semiconductor industry.