WSJ: Alleged spy’s husband introduced her to Jensen Huang

Kang Wei, a Chinese entrepreneur who had known Jensen Huang for about ten years, introduced the Nvidia chief to Alice Huang, the executive U.S. officials suspect of spying for Beijing. Kang is also her husband, according to people familiar with the couple cited by The Wall Street Journal News Corp ↗ 0.40%. The report adds a new layer to a scandal that has shaken one of the world's most valuable companies. It also points to a business couple who, the Journal says, used personal connections to advance ventures across China, Singapore and Taiwan.wsj.com

A husband who openly discussed the relationship

According to the Journal, Kang appeared to tolerate his wife's romantic involvement with the Nvidia CEO for two years and talked openly about their closeness. At times he joked to colleagues that Alice Huang worked as Jensen Huang's personal assistant. The two are not related.wsj.com

Other outlets have described Kang the same way. The Financial Times reported that Kang and Alice Huang were seen as a power couple in Chinese financial circles, and The New York Times said people around her described Kang as her husband, People reported. The pair worked out of the same office and "reinvented themselves as AI entrepreneurs." The current state of their relationship is unknown, and Kang has not responded to requests for comment. Kang founded Shanghai Hexi Investment Co., where Alice Huang held senior roles from about 2015 to 2017. In 2018, China's securities regulator fined him 400,000 yuan for financial misconduct, according to the Associated Press.people.com+1

The affair and the investigation

In a message to staff on Sunday, Nov. 8, Jensen Huang admitted the affair. "I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children. There is no excuse for what I did," he wrote, according to CNBC. Nvidia's board opened an independent investigation into whether he was "the target of a foreign intelligence effort," CNN reported. Jensen Huang did not name the woman. The New York Times identified her as Alice Huang, a former director of Singapore-based Megaspeed, AP reported. Megaspeed is an Nvidia cloud partner.us.cnn.com+2

Before admitting the affair, Jensen Huang had called his dealings with her "completely normal and not unusual," according to NBC News. U.S. officials reportedly believe she was recruited to push Nvidia to make its most advanced chips more available in China, AP reported.nbcnews.com+1

Beijing's denial

China's Foreign Ministry rejected the espionage claim, calling it "nothing but smears against China," AP reported. Taiwan and Singapore are looking into Megaspeed, though Singapore said it has not investigated Alice Huang herself. In Washington, the scandal has revived calls for a tougher line on China, according to AFP. Alice Huang has not responded to requests for comment, and the Financial Times reported she has not been seen in public for more than a year.afp.com+2