Nvestigation

The Nvidia CEO scandal, day by day.

On 12 November 2026, long-time Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang resigned. His departure came days after he admitted to infidelity, amid media reports of affairs with an alleged Chinese intelligence asset and an Nvidia executive. This is how we got here.

Last updated: 13 November 2026, 00:28 CET

Who currently runs Nvidia

Current CEO
Colette KressInterim Chief Executive Officer
In the role since
12 November 2026Replaced Jensen Huang while the board looks for a successor
Status checked
13 November 2026

Timeline

  1. Jensen Huang resigns as Nvidia CEO

    • On the record Jensen Huang steps down as Nvidia's CEO. CFO Colette Kress will serve as interim CEO while the board looks for a permanent successor. The company is looking at both internal and external candidates, but it's unclear who's being considered. 28
    • On the record Huang has agreed to testify before Congress before Thanksgiving, according to Committee chairman Brian Mast. He says the hearing will be behind closed doors, but will likely be filmed and transcribed. 29
    • Reported Nvidia has tapped an outside firm to help find its next CEO, according to Bloomberg. 30
    • Reported Reuters reports that Huang had a third affair, citing two people familiair with the matter. It reportedly involved another, unnamed Nvidia employee. 31

  2. NYT reports second affair, board considers firing Huang

    • On the record Huang must accept the House briefing today or propose a new date. Committee chairman Brian Mast has said a subpoena is possible if he doesn't reply. 18
    • On the record Republican U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer from the Senate Banking Committee calls on Huang to resign as Nvidia CEO, citing risks of extortion. 19
    • Reported Huang allegedly had a second affair with an Nvidia executive who reported to him, according to The New York Times. 20
    • Reported Multiple media report Nvidia's board is preparing to oust Huang as CEO. The board was expected to meet Wednesday night, but hasn't made any decision public as of yet. 21 22

  3. Nvidia's investigation takes shape

    • On the record Nvidia's board hires law firm Wachtell Lipton for its investigation, with former acting U.S. attorney Joon H. Kim leading the inquiry. 13
    • On the record Nvidia shares slide further, wiping out the stock's gains for 2026. 15
    • Reported According to The New York Times, President Trump was repeatedly briefed on intelligence showing that Huang was in a relationship with an alleged Chinese spy. President Trump had denied any prior knowledge of the matter. 16
    • Reported The Information reports that companies tied to Alice Huang helped Chinese firms obtain about $7.5 billion worth of Nvidia chips. 14
    • Denied A Chinese company named in that same report says it complies with applicable laws and has no dealings with Alice Huang. Megaspeed says U.S. inspections found no evidence of illicit chip transfers. 14

  4. FBI looks into the affair

    • On the record President Trump says the FBI is looking into Huang's affair with an alleged Chinese intelligence asset. He says Huang told him he didn't know of any such ties. President Trump also denies that he knew of the affair. 11
    • On the record Markets open after Huang's admission, Nvidia's stock price slides 4%. 10
    • On the record Shareholders file a class action lawsuit, stating the risks associated with the relationship should have been disclosed. 9
    • Reported Media report that the U.S. Department of Commerce transferred an investigation into Megaspeed to the Justice Department, after a top Nvidia executive reached out to officials. 8
    • Denied Beijing denies espionage claims involving Nvidia's CEO, calling the reports a fabrication and a smear against China. 12

  5. Huang admits affair, board launches investigation

    • On the record Huang releases a memo sent to employees of Nvidia. In it, he admits he was unfaithful to his wife, although he doesn't name the other person. He says he will stay on as CEO. 6
    • On the record Nvidia's board launches an independent investigation, following reports that its CEO was the target of a foreign intelligence effort. The board says it has no reason to believe national security or Nvidia secrets were compromised, and has confidence in Huang as CEO. 7

  6. Reports of an affair

    • Reported U.S. officials believe the relationship between Huang and Alice Huang was 'romantic', according to the Financial Times. 5

  7. Reports name China's Ministry of State Security

    • On the record Three House committee chairmen ask Mr. Huang for a closed-door briefing on 18 November. 3
    • Reported The New York Times reports that U.S. intelligence assessed Alice Huang as working for China’s Ministry of State Security. 4

  8. The story breaks

    • Reported The New York Times breaks the story. It alleges Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang had a close relationship with Alice Huang (not related), a Chinese businesswoman with alleged ties to Beijing. It also claims that President Trump was aware of said allegations and did not take action. 1
    • Denied Huang tells Bloomberg his dealings with Alice Huang concerned Megaspeed, the company she worked for, and were normal business contact. 2

Before the story broke

  1. May 2026

    On the record Culper Research publishes a report on Nvidia’s China exposure that mentions Megaspeed and Huang’s ties to Alice Huang. Culper had shorted Nvidia stock, meaning it makes money if the share price falls. 24

  2. Spring 2026

    Reported Secretary of state Marco Rubio warns U.S. officials of Huang's relationship with a woman tied to Chinese intelligence, according to New York Times reporting. 27

  3. 2025

    Reported The president is reportedly briefed on the intelligence. Huang lobbies for looser export restriction on chip shipments to China. President Trump allows conditional sales of Nvidia H200 chips to China. 1 14 26

  4. 2024

    Reported The two reportedly meet at an Nvidia event, although the exact timing remains unclear. A Megaspeed affiliate begins buying Nvidia-equipment, and the Commerce Department starts examining Megaspeed. 23 14

  5. 2023
    • On the record Alice Huang becomes managing director of Megaspeed, which later joins an Nvidia partner programme. 25 14
    • Reported She resigns as director by November, but continues to act as company leader. 25 14

Sources

  1. The New York Times, Nvidia Chief Seen as Target of Chinese Spy Plot, 29 Oct 2026.
  2. Bloomberg, Nvidia CEO Says Ties to Company in Spy Probe Were ‘Normal’, 29 Oct 2026.
  3. U.S. House of Representatives, Chairmen Mast, Moolenaar, and Crawford Request Jensen Huang Brief Congress, 5 Nov 2026.
  4. The New York Times, China’s Top Spy Agency Recruited Woman Who Targeted Jensen Huang, 6 Nov 2026.
  5. Financial Times, US believes Nvidia’s Huang had romantic relationship with alleged Chinese spy, 7 Nov 2026.
  6. Nvidia, A Message to Our Company, 8 Nov 2026.
  7. Nvidia, Statement From NVIDIA Board of Directors, 8 Nov 2026.
  8. The New York Times, Commerce Dept. Chip Inquiry Was Halted After Nvidia Intervention, 9 Nov 2026.
  9. Reuters, Nvidia, CEO Huang sued over disclosures related to suspected Chinese spy, 9 Nov 2026.
  10. CNN, Nvidia stock falls after investigation into CEO, bucking market rally, 9 Nov 2026.
  11. AP News, FBI is looking at Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s affair with an alleged Chinese agent, Trump says, 9 Nov 2026.
  12. The New York Times, China Rejects Espionage Claims Involving Nvidia C.E.O. Jensen Huang, 9 Nov 2026.
  13. Nvidia, Statement From the Independent Members of the NVIDIA Board, 10 Nov 2026.
  14. The Information, How Jensen Huang’s Yearslong Ties to Alice Huang Enabled $7 Billion-Plus Nvidia Chip Sales to China, 10 Nov 2026.
  15. Yahoo Finance, Nvidia Erases 2026 Gains as Republicans Threaten Jensen Huang With Subpoena, 10 Nov 2026.
  16. The New York Times, Despite Denial, Trump Was Told on Trip to China About Spying on Nvidia Leader, 10 Nov 2026.
  17. AP News, Nvidia and Jensen Huang face shareholder lawsuit alleging investors were misled about spy affair, 11 Nov 2026.
  18. Reuters, House Republicans push for Nvidia's Huang to testify, float subpoena over spy allegations, 11 Nov 2026.
  19. CNBC, Jensen Huang affair in D.C.: Resignation calls and moves to tighten Nvidia China exports, 11 Nov 2026.
  20. The New York Times, Jensen Huang Said to Have Had Relationship With Nvidia Executive Who Reports to Him, 11 Nov 2026.
  21. The Wall Street Journal, Nvidia Is Preparing to Oust CEO Jensen Huang, 11 Nov 2026.
  22. Reuters, Nvidia board meets to decide CEO Huang's future as leadership crisis deepens, 11 Nov 2026.
  23. Newsweek, Nvidia’s Jensen Huang and China: Timeline as CEO Faces Scrutiny Over Affair, 9 Nov 2026.
  24. Culper Research, NVIDIA (NVDA): The China Problem, 13 May 2026.
  25. The Wall Street Journal, A Timeline of Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s Suspected Spy Drama, 11 Nov 2026.
  26. CNN, Trump greenlights exports of Nvidia H200 chips to China, 9 Dec 2025.
  27. The New York Times, Rubio Warned Officials About Nvidia Chief’s Entanglement With Chinese Spy, 8 Nov 2026.
  28. Nvidia, NVIDIA Announces CEO Transition, 12 Nov 2026.
  29. Bloomberg, Huang agrees to Testify Before Congress Soon, GOP Lawmaker Says, 12 Nov 2026.
  30. Reuters, Nvidia CEO Huang had a relationship with a second employee, sources say, 12 Nov 2026.

About

The author

I'm Daan van Monsjou, a journalist who has covered technology for the past decade. I specialize mostly in semiconductor companies, including Nvidia. You can find my work on my personal website.

I wrote this website as a neutral, sourced timeline to keep track of a fast-moving story. Mostly for myself, but I figured I’d share it for those interested.

I don’t own Nvidia shares or have any other financial interest in the company. I have no personal ties to anyone involved in this story.

How it works

Entries are tagged by how solid they are.

  • On the record: a public statement or filing.
  • Reported : reports from established news outlets citing anonymous sources. Not independently confirmed.
  • Denied : rebuttals from people and organisations involved.

Every line links to its source(s).

Disclaimers

  • This is a personal project, and in no way affiliated with Nvidia or my employer. I do not earn any money from this website.
  • This website’s design and code were written with the help of an AI assistant. I have personally curated the sources and done the writing.
  • The timeline updates are written manually, so this website might lag slightly behind the latest developments. The date at the top shows when I most recently updated it.
  • This is purely meant as an informational and neutral timeline of events. This site is not investment or legal advice.