Jensen Huang was the only billionaire among the ten richest people in the world to see his fortune fall on Monday, Forbes reports. His net worth dropped by $9 billion as Nvidia shares tumbled amid an investigation into his reported affair with a woman described as an alleged Chinese spy.
According to Forbes, the decline made Huang the sole loser in the top ten that day. The BBC reported that Nvidia's stock fell over the investigation. The New York Times reported that China's top spy agency recruited the woman, who was said to have targeted Huang. The Financial Times reported that the same woman pitched AI chip deals to investors.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Huang apologized to Nvidia for his infidelity, and noted that his children are on the company's staff.
The reports place the head of the world's most valuable chipmaker at the center of a story that reaches beyond markets. Nvidia's shares moved on the news, and Huang's personal wealth moved with them.
Watch for Nvidia's next public statement and any official response from Chinese authorities as the investigation develops.