Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang hired PR firm linked to sex scandals last year

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has publicly acknowledged an extramarital affair with a woman, shortly after it was revealed he had engaged a crisis communications firm known for managing high-profile scandals. In an email sent to Nvidia staff on Sunday, Huang apologised for his actions, stating, “I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children. There is no excuse for what I did. I am deeply sorry.”

The woman involved in the relationship, who goes by Alice Huang, is a former executive at the Singapore-based chip buyer Megaspeed. According to reports, US intelligence officials have identified Alice, who is not related to the CEO, as a spy operating for the Chinese government. In 2024, Jensen Huang began appearing publicly alongside her, and in October 2025, a report highlighted that Megaspeed had purchased nearly $2 billion worth of Nvidia chips, leading to allegations that the firm might be assisting Chinese companies in bypassing American export restrictions.

Following these disclosures, Nvidia’s board of directors initiated an independent investigation into Huang’s activities. The company stated that it has no evidence suggesting that confidential Nvidia information or national security has been compromised. The board noted that it was responding to reports that the CEO had been the target of a foreign intelligence effort.

It has emerged that Huang hired Risa Heller, the founder of a public relations firm, at least a year prior to these revelations. According to a 2023 New York magazine profile, Heller has established a reputation as a fixer for powerful men facing personal controversies and sexual misconduct allegations. Her past clients have included former congressman Anthony Weiner, chef Mario Batali, and writer Jeffrey Toobin.

Sources familiar with the matter indicated that Heller’s firm was initially hired for personal matters, including the Huang family’s philanthropic work, and frequently communicated with Huang and his daughter, Madison, who serves as a product marketing director at Nvidia. By the end of October 2025, Nvidia’s internal communications team had been directed to include Heller’s firm on all press inquiries regarding the CEO. Nvidia’s head of public policy communications, John Rizzo, previously served as a deputy communications director for Democratic senator Chuck Schumer, for whom Risa Heller also worked as a press secretary.

When contacted by email, a representative for Heller referred requests for comment to Nvidia. The company did not immediately respond to further inquiries.