Nvidia has hired prominent US law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz to assist with an investigation into chief executive Jensen Huang after he acknowledged an extramarital relationship with a Chinese business executive accused of spying for Beijing, according to The New York Times.
The investigation follows a decision announced by Nvidia on Sunday, with the company’s board seeking to examine the circumstances surrounding the relationship and assess whether it raised any corporate or national security concerns.
Two people briefed on the decision told the newspaper that Wachtell would advise Nvidia’s board of directors. Joon H. Kim, a partner at the firm specialising in high-stakes litigation and enforcement, is leading the inquiry.
Kim previously served as acting US attorney for the Southern District of New York in 2017 and early 2018. He was also hired by New York Attorney General Letitia James in 2021 to assist with an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment and other misconduct involving former governor Andrew Cuomo.
Nvidia said it had “no reason to believe that either national security or Nvidia secrets were compromised”, but added that the board’s inquiry would examine all available information.
The company also said Huang fully supported the review and had committed to cooperating with the investigation.
The Chinese executive, identified as Alice Huang, has been accused of having a relationship with the Nvidia chief and of spying for Beijing. US intelligence agencies reportedly determined that she was a Chinese spy. She has not responded to requests for comment.
China has rejected the espionage allegations.
The investigation also places attention on Nvidia’s board and its oversight of the company. The New York Times reported that Huang has traditionally viewed the board primarily as a governance requirement rather than a central part of the company’s strategy and operations.
Nvidia’s 10-member board includes early investors, longtime business partners and executives with longstanding connections to Huang. Several members have professional ties dating back to the company’s early years in the 1990s.
The inquiry will examine the available information as the company seeks to establish whether the allegations have any implications for its business, governance or security.
