TAIPEI, Taiwan — Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, long celebrated as a hometown hero in his native Taiwan, faces a sharp reversal of fortune following an FBI investigation into his relationship with a woman alleged to be a Chinese intelligence operative.
The scandal has reverberated across the island, where Huang — a pivotal figure in the global artificial intelligence boom — was previously greeted with rock-star adulation during frequent business visits. The controversy centers on his association with Alice Huang, a Chinese businesswoman identified by U.S. officials as a suspected spy. Footage of the pair dining together in Taipei in 2025 circulated widely, intensifying public scrutiny.
Born in Taiwan before moving to the United States for his education, the 63-year-old executive has maintained deep ties to the island’s tech ecosystem. Until recently, numerous Taipei businesses, including restaurants and retail shops, proudly displayed photographs of his visits. Jane Hsieh, a 70-year-old tofu pudding shop owner, recalled the initial shock of the headlines. “He used to have a near-perfect public image,” she said. While she would still serve him as a customer, she acknowledged the dynamic would be irrevocably altered. “I’d be polite, but my feelings toward him would be different.”
Sentiment among residents appears to have soured rapidly. Jeff Huang, a 72-year-old resident, noted that some patrons have already urged shop owners to remove the CEO’s photos. “He used to be very popular, but after his personal moral scandal and allegations of corporate espionage came out, he instantly fell from grace,” he said.
Taiwanese officials have confirmed they monitored the pair’s movements during their stays. Presidential Office spokesperson Karen Kuo stated national security agencies possessed full knowledge of their travel itinerary. Local media reported Jensen Huang spent two weeks in Taiwan between May and June, with an additional stopover in August.
Mainland Affairs Council Minister Chiu Chui-cheng clarified that while Alice Huang originates from mainland China, she entered Taiwan using Hong Kong credentials. Her professional background includes roles at HSBC’s Hong Kong private banking division and CITIC Securities, a major Chinese investment bank, before becoming a director at Megaspeed, a Singapore-based firm describing itself as an Nvidia cloud partner.
Taiwan’s Central News Agency reported Alice Huang entered the island eight times across 2024 and 2025, with no recorded entries in the current year. Following the revelation of her identity, Chiu indicated authorities would scrutinize any future entry attempts in accordance with the law. Interior Minister Liu Shyh-fang confirmed the businesswoman’s entry permit has been revoked, barring her from Taiwan. “The National Immigration Agency will fully cooperate with our national security authorities or other relevant agencies in investigating anything that occurred during her time in Taiwan,” Liu stated.
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed the FBI investigation on Monday but asserted that after speaking with Jensen Huang, he believes the CEO “had absolutely no idea that the person in question was a spy.” Huang has publicly acknowledged the affair, issuing an apology to his wife and Nvidia staff via an open letter on the company’s website. The New York Times reported that U.S. intelligence assessed the woman was gathering information on behalf of Beijing.
This week, Minister Liu affirmed that authorities, including national security officials, are “actively” investigating matters surrounding Megaspeed and Alice Huang. Beijing has dismissed the espionage allegations as “unsubstantiated.”