Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and his wife Lori Huang. [AP/Yonhap]
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and his wife Lori Huang. [AP/Yonhap]

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, the 63-year-old founder of the world's leading AI semiconductor company, has admitted to an extramarital affair with Alice Huang — a businesswoman under suspicion of spying for China — and apologized to his family. Forbes now reports that if the couple divorces, his wife Lori Huang could walk away with roughly half his fortune, or about $77.6 billion.

According to Forbes and Yonhap, if Huang were to divorce, Lori Huang could receive half of his estimated net worth of $155.2 billion as of Sunday — a share amounting to $77.6 billion, or 104 trillion won.

California, where the Huangs live and where Nvidia is headquartered, follows a community property regime under which all income, assets and debts accumulated during a marriage are jointly owned. In the event of a divorce, everything not designated as one spouse's separate property is split equally.

Huang founded Nvidia in 1993, after the couple married, meaning his Nvidia shares and compensation from the company are subject to division. The bulk of his wealth consists of roughly 870 million Nvidia shares held in his own name and through family trusts.

Huang had ranked among the world's 10 wealthiest people, but Nvidia's share price fell following the affair scandal, pushing him out of the top 10 as of Sunday.

Alice Huang, a businesswoman suspected of spying for China, dines with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang at a restaurant in Taipei, Taiwan, on May 22 last year. [Reuters]
Alice Huang, a businesswoman suspected of spying for China, dines with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang at a restaurant in Taipei, Taiwan, on May 22 last year. [Reuters]

Jensen Huang has been married to Lori since the mid-1980s, well before he founded Nvidia.

The two met while attending Oregon State University.

Huang has said that Lori "has been with Nvidia through every step of the journey," and recently joked to colleagues that his wife handles everything for him — signing documents, managing finances — adding that he does not even know his home address or pay the utility bills.

Lori Huang has not made any public statement since her husband admitted to the affair, and it remains unclear whether she will seek a divorce. It is also not known whether the couple signed any prenuptial or postnuptial agreement governing the division of assets.

On Sunday, Huang acknowledged the affair with Alice Huang, a businesswoman suspected of working as an agent for Chinese intelligence. "I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt my wife and children, and there is no excuse for what I did," he said, adding that he apologizes to both his family and his employees.


yeonjoo7@heraldcorp.com