Nvidia CEO is already under investigation for an affair with an alleged Chinese spy. Now a second relationship has allegedly been caught on video

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who currently faces an investigation regarding an affair with an alleged Chinese intelligence asset, was involved in an extramarital relationship with one of his own executives, as reported by The New York Times. Five people who worked at the company claim that Huang had a relationship with Kimberly Powell, the vice president of health care at Nvidia.

Nvidia has a code of conduct that tells employees to avoid situations where personal relationships create a conflict. The company says it investigates reports of misconduct, and many firms have policies against managers having relationships with subordinates. The relationship between Huang, 63, and Powell, 48, has reportedly been a topic of discussion inside the company. Both individuals are married to other people.

Two people who worked at the company state that the pair was captured on video being affectionate at a hotel in San Jose, California, during a company conference in March. Reports indicate that Nvidia security workers noticed a bystander filming the interaction with a phone. These security workers then allegedly sequestered the person and asked them to sign a nondisclosure agreement.

This adds another layer of scrutiny to the leader of the company that supplies most of the world with AI chips

When reached by phone on Wednesday, Huang was asked about the relationship with Powell. He said, “I don’t think you should be talking to me directly.” He hung up shortly after that comment. Nvidia has declined to provide a statement on the matter, and Powell did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Following the news, shares of the company fell about 8 percent in after-hours trading.

This situation follows a report from last month that U.S. officials identified a Chinese executive, who had become close to Huang, as a Chinese intelligence asset. This woman, who goes by the name Alice Huang, is the subject of an investigation by the Nvidia board. The board is using the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz to handle the inquiry.

Additionally, Republican leaders from three House committees have asked the CEO to appear for a closed-door briefing regarding his interactions with her. China has denied the espionage claims, and Alice Huang has not responded to requests for comment.

Powell joined Nvidia in 2008 and has climbed the ranks of the company over the last several years. She was promoted to senior director of artificial intelligence business development in 2016 and became the vice president of health care by late 2017. Her role involves overseeing programs that apply chip technology to medical imaging devices and higher education.

During the conference in San Jose this past March, Powell gave a presentation on how artificial intelligence can help with breakthroughs in biology and health care. Her presentation reportedly included cartoon depictions of the CEO.

Huang is the co-founder of Nvidia, having started the company in 1993. His tenure as CEO is now under intense observation as these reports emerge. Other tech executives have faced similar situations in the past. For example, Brian Krzanich resigned from Intel in 2018 after he acknowledged a “past consensual relationship” with an employee. In a separate case, McDonald’s removed Steve Easterbrook as its chief executive after learning he had maintained sexual relationships with multiple employees in violation of corporate policies.