Nvidia opens investigation after CEO Jensen Huang was targeted by Chinese intelligence

Nvidia’s board of directors said Sunday that it is opening an independent investigation after CEO Jensen Huang was targeted by a foreign intelligence effort.

The announcement followed recent reporting by The New York Times and the Financial Times about Huang’s relationship with Alice Huang, a Chinese businesswoman who the newspapers reported had been recruited to spy for China. The two are not related.

A person familiar with the matter told NBC News late Sunday that U.S. intelligence agencies had determined that Alice Huang was a Chinese spy and had a relationship with Nvidia’s Jensen Huang.

“The NVIDIA Board is initiating an independent investigation in light of recent reporting that founder and CEO Jensen Huang has been the target of a foreign intelligence effort,” the company said in a statement.

“A committee of independent directors, assisted by outside independent counsel, will oversee the investigation. The Board prioritizes U.S. national and economic security, which is paramount to the interests of NVIDIA and its shareholders.”

The company added that while it “has no reason to believe that either national security or NVIDIA secrets were compromised, the Board’s inquiry will examine all available information.”

In a memo to Nvidia employees that the company shared…

Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/business