Nvidia board reportedly preparing to oust CEO Jensen Huang after alleged affairs
The Nvidia board is reportedly planning to oust CEO Jensen Huang amid reports he engaged in two extramarital affairs, including one with a Chinese businesswoman and alleged spy and another with an executive at his tech company.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the board was preparing to meet as soon as Wednesday to determine Huang's future with the technology giant he founded.
ABC News has reached out to Nvidia for comment.
On Sunday, Nvidia said that its board launched an independent investigation "in light of recent reporting that founder and CEO Jensen Huang has been the target of a foreign intelligence effort."
The development on Wednesday comes after The New York Times reported nearly two weeks ago that Huang had "a close relationship" with an alleged Chinese government agent, identified as Alice Huang, a top executive at Singapore-based data company Megaspeed. He later admitted in an internal statement to Nvidia staff that he had been "unfaithful to his wife."
Amid the fallout from the allegations and the letter, The Times reported on Wednesday that Huang also allegedly had an extramarital relationship with an Nvidia executive who allegedly reports to him.
The outlet, citing sources within the company, reported that Huang and his colleague were allegedly captured on video being affectionate at a hotel during an Nvidia conference in March. The New York Times said it had not seen the video.
ABC News has not been able to verify the reporting or the alleged video.
Following the reporting about Jensen Huang and Alice Huang, who are not related, the Chinese government denied the allegations, calling them "baseless and purely slanderous smears against China."
Neither Alice Huang nor her employer, Megaspeed International, responded to ABC News' request for comment after the New York Times story broke.
"Jensen's interactions with Ms. Huang are not unusual or unexpected" and are part of Jensen Huang's job, an Nvidia spokesperson told ABC News at the time.
On Sunday, Nvidia shared with ABC News the internal message Jensen Huang sent to employees, in which he said he was "unfaithful," apologizing for hurting his wife and family.
"My actions hurt her and our children. There is no excuse for what I did. I am deeply sorry," the message said, in part. It did not name Alice Huang nor any other person.
Addressing Nvidia staff, partners and shareholders, Huang went on to say, "My responsibility is to serve you and be worthy of your trust. I have fallen short of that responsibility. I am fully committed to NVIDIA and will work to earn back your confidence."
"I love our country and our company. I am committed to protecting NVIDIA and supporting America's national security. I am proud and grateful to be an American," Huang's message said.
Following the New York Times report, congressional Republicans on the Select Committee on China sent a letter to Jensen Huang requesting that he appear for a closed-door briefing Nov. 18 concerning his relationship with Alice Huang.
The Republican chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Brian Mast, told ABC News on Tuesday that he's prepared to subpoena Huang if he does not respond by Wednesday to a request from several House Republicans.
President Donald Trump told reporters Monday that he spoke with Huang that day about the allegations.
"I asked him that question -- 'Did you have any idea that she was a spy?' He said, 'I had no idea that she was a spy,' and I really believe him," Trump told reporters.
In its statement on Sunday, Nvidia said that a "committee of independent directors, assisted by outside independent counsel, will oversee the investigation."
Huang "fully supports the review" and will cooperate with it, the Nvidia statement further said.
"While the Board has no reason to believe that either national security or NVIDIA secrets were compromised, the Board's inquiry will examine all available information," according to the statement.
"The Board prioritizes U.S. national and economic security, which is paramount to the interests of NVIDIA and its shareholders," the statement further said.
"The Board has confidence in Jensen and his leadership team," according to the statement.
Nvidia has grown to be one of the most important chip makers in recent years due to its components being key to AI computing servers.
