Jensen Huang engaged crisis firm before affair revelation; details emerge on megaspeed connection

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang retained the crisis communications firm Heller, founded by Risa Heller, starting around October 2025. This engagement predates Huang's admission of an extramarital affair with Alice Huang, a woman later identified by US intelligence officials as a Chinese spy. Heller, known for managing controversies for figures like Mario Batali and Anthony Weiner, has handled Huang's communications, which initially appeared related to family philanthropy, according to sources familiar with the situation. Huang began public association with Alice Huang in 2024. In early October 2025, a New York Times report surfaced detailing Huang's business ties to Megaspeed, a Singapore-based chip buyer spun off from a Chinese firm in 2023. The report raised concerns about potential evasion of US export controls, prompting Nvidia's internal teams to include Heller in press inquiries by the end of that month. Following Huang's public acknowledgment of the romantic nature of his relationship, Nvidia's board initiated an independent investigation, though it stated there was no belief that national security or confidential company data was compromised. Huang himself issued an apology to Nvidia staff, 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.'