Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang retained Heller Inc., a crisis communications firm recognized for managing sex scandals, at least a year prior to publicly admitting to an extramarital affair with a woman suspected of spying for China. The firm's founder, Risa Heller, has previously guided prominent public figures through personal misconduct allegations and high-profile scandals.
A History of High-Profile Clients
According to media profiles, Heller has advised several well-known men facing intense public scrutiny. Her past clients include former U.S. congressman Anthony Weiner, celebrity chef Mario Batali, and former New Yorker writer Jeffrey Toobin.
Internal Communications and Export Scrutiny
Nvidia's internal communications team was instructed to copy Heller Inc. on all press inquiries regarding Huang shortly after an October 2025 report questioned whether the chipmaker was helping Chinese entities bypass U.S. export restrictions.
The Singapore Connection
The earlier reports highlighted Megaspeed, a little-known Singapore-based data center firm with ties to China, which had acquired nearly $2 billion in Nvidia hardware. The coverage featured Megaspeed CEO Alice Huang standing beside Jensen Huang at an Nvidia customer gathering in Taipei. Both Nvidia and Heller did not immediately respond to initial requests for comment.
Public Acknowledgment and Board Investigation
On Sunday, Nvidia published a statement from Huang confirming an affair with a former Megaspeed executive without explicitly naming her. Concurrently, the Nvidia board announced an independent investigation, noting that Huang had become the target of a foreign intelligence effort.
