Nvidia's board opens an independent investigation after reports that Jensen Huang was the target of a foreign intelligence effort, and Huang tells staff he was unfaithful to his wife

On Sunday 8 November Nvidia's board said it is initiating an independent investigation in light of recent reporting that founder and chief executive Jensen Huang has been the target of a foreign intelligence effort. A committee of independent directors, assisted by outside counsel, will oversee it. The board said it has “no reason to believe that either national security or NVIDIA secrets were compromised,” that Huang supports the review and that it has confidence in him.

In a message to the company posted the same day, Huang wrote: “I was unfaithful to my wife.” He said the board had begun the investigation, and wrote: “I support the investigation and will cooperate fully.”

The statement follows The New York Times report that US agencies watched a Megaspeed executive who grew close to Huang over her ties to China, and the Financial Times report on a US memo about him; the Switchboard ran both. Nvidia shares fell on Monday 9 November while Asian tech stocks rebounded, CNBC reported. The board named no law firm and gave no timetable.

• Confirmed Nvidia's board is initiating an independent investigation overseen by independent directors with outside counsel, and says it has no reason to believe national security or Nvidia secrets were compromised. Nvidia board statement
• Confirmed Huang wrote to staff: “I was unfaithful to my wife.” and “I support the investigation and will cooperate fully.” Nvidia, A Message to Our Company
• Reported Nvidia shares fell on Monday 9 November, CNBC reported. CNBC