US reportedly investigated suspected Chinese spy plot involving Nvidia CEO's contact

Centre · 2The New York Times reported on 29 October 2026, citing anonymous sources, that US intelligence agencies suspected Alice Huang (also known as Huang Le), a senior executive at the Singapore-based firm Megaspeed, of working for Chinese intelligence. 1 2 Centre · 2The concern was her closeness to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang: she was photographed at business dinners with him in the Singapore region, and sources said she could have been gathering information on Nvidia's plans and his lobbying of the Trump administration to allow more advanced chip sales to China. 1 2 Centre · 2US intelligence had reportedly surveilled Alice Huang for about a year, and the Hindustan Times, relaying the Times, says the surveillance continues. 1 2

Centre · 1According to the Times report as relayed by the Hindustan Times, President Trump was briefed about roughly a year ago but chose not to act, and Jensen Huang has not received a defensive briefing; US officials initially did not think he knew of her alleged activities, but some senior officials have since questioned whether he could have been unaware. 2 Mixed · 2The Times said Trump chose not to act at least partly out of concern that action could hurt Nvidia chip sales or disrupt the US-China trade truce; the Times also reported the briefing told him Beijing was getting reports from someone with direct access to Jensen Huang. 3 4 Left · 1According to the Times as relayed by Ars Technica, agencies surveilling Alice Huang found she was in contact with an American citizen, and an unmasking process identified that person as Jensen Huang; Ars adds it is possible he received no defensive briefing because agencies feared he might tip her off. 3

Centre · 2Nvidia denied anything unusual, with spokesperson John Rizzo saying Jensen Huang's interactions with Ms Huang were "not unusual or unexpected" and that he talks with thousands of customer executives each year. 1 2 Centre · 2Nvidia also said regional cloud customers such as Megaspeed receive ordinary business information, not trade secrets or anything relevant to national security, and that it is confident the US government would warn it of any threat. 1 2 Right · 1Nvidia also told the Washington Examiner that diversion allegations against Megaspeed were "thoroughly investigated and debunked last year", and that attacking American industry for following US law and policy undercuts national security. 4

Centre · 1Megaspeed said it was taking the allegations seriously, had hired outside legal counsel and had told the US government it would cooperate; Alice Huang did not respond to requests for comment; the White House, CIA and NSA declined to comment; and Chinese Embassy spokesperson Liu Chang rejected the allegations as "groundless smears and slanders". 2 Centre · 2Megaspeed was already under scrutiny: the Times reported in 2025 that the Commerce Department was investigating whether it helped Chinese companies evade AI chip export rules, and the Hindustan Times says the probe began in late 2024 and moved to the Justice Department this year. 1 2 Centre · 1Trade records cited by the Times show Megaspeed's Malaysian sister company bought at least $4.8 billion of advanced AI equipment containing Nvidia chips between June 2024 and February 2026, and Singaporean authorities questioned Alice Huang in 2025 before releasing her. 2

Centre · 1The Times also reported that Huang's relationship with Trump has complicated efforts to tighten export controls, with some investigations and proposed sanctions involving Nvidia or China stalling in the Commerce Department. 2 Mixed · 3Jensen Huang has lobbied the administration to ease chip sales to China and negotiated an arrangement giving the US government 25% of revenue from certain approved chips; the Times also reported that it is unclear what information Alice Huang passed to Beijing, and that her name was removed from Megaspeed corporate documents after scrutiny rose. 4 3 5