Washington, DC [US], November 9 (ANI): The NVIDIA Board said in a statement that it is initiating an independent investigation in light of recent reporting that founder and CEO Jensen Huang has been the target of a foreign intelligence effort.

'A committee of independent directors, assisted by outside independent counsel, will oversee the investigation.,' read the statement.  

'The Board prioritizes U.S. national and economic security, which is paramount to the interests of NVIDIA and its shareholders. While the Board has no reason to believe that either national security or NVIDIA secrets were compromised, the Board's inquiry will examine all available information.  Jensen fully supports the review and has committed to cooperating with it. The Board has confidence in Jensen and his leadership team and will provide further updates as appropriate,' it added.

Following the announcement of the board inquiry, Fox News reported that Jensen Huang has admitted to an extramarital relationship with a tech executive suspected of spying for China.

In an internal apology addressed to company employees and reported by Fox News, Huang acknowledged personal wrongdoing and unfaithfulness to his family.

'I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children. There is no excuse for what I did,' Huang stated in the message cited by the network.

According to Fox News, Huang was involved in an intimate relationship with Megaspeed executive Alice Huang, whom United States intelligence agencies had identified as a Chinese intelligence asset.

The relationship and prior intelligence warnings concerning the executive have now triggered intense federal and corporate scrutiny, particularly as Huang has been actively lobbying the Donald Trump administration to ease strict export restrictions on advanced semiconductor and artificial intelligence chip sales to China, Fox News reported.

The Chinese businesswoman, with whom Nvidia's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jensen Huang had alleged ties, was recruited as a spy for China's Ministry of State Security, The New York Times reported, citing a memo circulated among policymakers in the Trump administration.

On Friday, three House Republican committee chairs have asked Nvidia CEO to address, behind closed doors, the reported links with a Chinese businesswoman suspected of providing information to Beijing, Axios reported.

Nvidia has denied the allegations as 'baseless'. (ANI)