The unfolding Jensen Huang scandal: a timeline

Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang’s reported relationships with two women have become part of a wider controversy involving alleged Chinese espionage, possible chip diversion and scrutiny of his leadership. The allegations matter because Nvidia’s AI chips are strategically important in US-China competition, and Huang’s position gives him substantial influence over the company.

US officials suspect Alice Huang, a Megaspeed executive who is unrelated to Jensen Huang, passed information to Beijing; the company has faced investigations in the US and Singapore over suspected chip transfers to China. Reports say Megaspeed bought $4.8 billion of Nvidia chips over two years, while a separate Chinese company linked to Alice Huang reportedly facilitated $7.5 billion in chip purchases, including restricted chips. The New York Times also reported an affair with Nvidia vice-president Kimberly Powell, which neither has confirmed. The Wall Street Journal reported Nvidia’s board may discuss Huang’s future; the company’s shares fell about 8% in after-hours trading and were down 11% over five days.