One of the most powerful figures in Big Tech is caught up in a messy scandal that involves an affair, an alleged Chinese spy, and a wide array of characters.
At the center is Jensen Huang himself.
The Nvidia CEO on Sunday admitted to having an extramarital affair in a memo sent to Nvidia employees. Nvidia’s board of directors announced the same day it was launching an investigation into whether Huang was the “target of a foreign intelligence effort.”
The investigation came after The New York Times previously reported US intelligence officials believed a woman who had grown close to Huang — Alice Huang, a Chinese tech executive — was recruited to gather information for Beijing.
The timeline of events goes back at least to the Spring but has ramped up in the past week, as has speculation about what the news means for Huang and Nvidia.
Here’s all the people you need to know who have been talked about in the saga.
Jensen Huang, Nvidia CEO
Jensen Huang is the CEO of Nvidia, a company he cofounded in 1993 and has led through the generative AI boom, including its rise to the world’s most valuable company.
The executive on Sunday admitted to having an extramarital affair and apologized for being “unfaithful” to his wife. He said that given the national security concerns around the matter, he supported the Nvidia board pursuing an investigation.
“I love our country and our company. I am committed to protecting NVIDIA and supporting America’s national security,” Huang said in a memo to Nvidia employees.
Alice Huang, Chinese tech executive
Alice Huang is a Chinese tech executive who developed a close relationship with Jensen Huang. The two are not related, despite having the same last name. She was an executive at Megaspeed International, a Singapore-based cloud computing company and Nvidia customer.
The New York Times reported last month US intelligence officials believed Alice Huang was acting as a spy for the Chinese government.
It’s unclear when Huang met Alice Huang, but the pair have been photographed together on several occasions. Last week, Huang told Bloomberg his dealings with Alice Huang had been business related and “completely normal and not unusual.”
When Huang told Nvidia staff he had engaged in an affair, he did not name Alice Huang.
Lori Huang, Jensen Huang’s wife
Lori Huang has been married to Huang for over 40 years. The pair met as lab partners in an electrical engineering class at Oregon State University.
Lori Huang is the president of Jen-Hsun and Lori Huang Foundation, a charitable organization founded by the couple in 2007. Huang has praised his wife for supporting his work with Nvidia.
“Lori’s been with me for a long time, our whole life,” Huang told CNA, a Singapore-based outlet, in May. “She’s been part of Nvidia every step of the way.”
The Huangs have two adult children, both of whom work at Nvidia.
Marco Rubio, US secretary of state
Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, has been caught up in the drama due to an alleged memo from earlier this year that warned about Huang’s ties to a Chinese spy.
The New York Times, citing unnamed sources, reported Sunday that Rubio oversaw the drafting of a “highly classified memo” this Spring that warned about Huang’s relationship with a Chinese spy. The Times said the memo was based on electronic surveillance of Alice Huang, who was under investigation regarding illegally sending Nvidia AI chips to China.
Donald Trump, US president
President Donald Trump has had a positive relationship with Huang and has stuck by the executive through the scandal.
Trump told reporters he called Huang on Monday to see how he was doing. He said the CEO told him he had “no idea” the person he was involved with was a Chinese spy.
“And I really believe him,” Trump said.
The president also praised Huang and added he was “very confident that he’ll be in good shape.”
Madison Huang, Nvidia senior director of product marketing
Madison Huang is Huang’s daughter and an executive at Nvidia as senior director of product marketing for physical AI.
Huang’s memo to employees about his affair referenced his family and his children directly.
“I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children,” he wrote, adding, “To my wife and family: I love you. I know an apology cannot undo what I have done. I hope our family will heal and that, over time, I can earn back your trust.”
Bloomberg reported early Monday that Madison Huang had abruptly dropped out of an AI event happening in Seoul.
A former employee told Business Insider’s Geoff Weiss that Madison Huang had been asserting authority across the company’s divisions, potentially in an effort to set herself up for a greater leadership role.
Spencer Huang, Nvidia director of product management
Spencer Huang is Huang’s son and also works as an executive at Nvidia as director of product management for robotics.
John Rizzo, Nvidia head of public policy communications
John Rizzo is Nvidia’s head of public policy communications and a spokesperson for the company.
Rizzo told The Times last week that Huang’s dealings with Alice Huang were business related.
“Jensen’s interactions with Ms. Huang are not unusual or unexpected. Meetings with customers are part of a C.E.O.’s job; Jensen talks with thousands of customer executives every year,” Rizzo said, as reported in the outlet.
Tim Teter, Nvidia general counsel
Tim Teter is an executive vice president and general counsel at Nvidia.
The Times reported Monday that the Commerce Department paused an investigation into Megaspeed, which was suspected of illegally sending Nvidia chips to China, and that it was transferred to the Justice Department. The outlet reported the pause came after Teter reached out to Commerce employees about the case, claiming Jeffrey Kessler, who was a top official in the department, said it was okay.
The Times reported the communication was unusual and that it “alarmed” the Commerce agents.
Jeffrey Kessler, US Department of Commerce official
Kessler was a top official at the US Department of Commerce as the undersecretary of commerce for industry and security, appointed by Trump last year.
Kessler got entangled in the Nvidia scandal when the Times reported Teter, Nvidia’s general counsel, name dropped him in an email to Commerce Department agents who were investigating Megaspeed.
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