Key facts
- Nvidia general counsel Tim Teter asked Commerce Under Secretary Jeffrey Kessler about BIS involvement in Alice Huang's detention, people familiar said.
- BIS staff were told to route all Nvidia-related requests through Kessler and not to mention Megaspeed externally, the people said.
- The Justice Department asked BIS in late 2025 to pause its Megaspeed efforts, and the agency has not progressed since, the people said.
- Nvidia said Teter was unaware of the affair when he called Kessler about Alice Huang's detention in Singapore.
- A BIS spokesperson said the agency conducts all enforcement strictly by the book.
Nvidia general counsel Tim Teter intervened in a US government probe of suspected smuggling of AI chips by Singapore-based Megaspeed International, questioning whether the Trump administration played a role in Singapore's detention of a Megaspeed executive, The Business Times reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
In late summer 2025, Teter called Commerce Under Secretary Jeffrey Kessler, who oversees US chip export curbs, to ask whether Kessler's Bureau of Industry and Security was involved in the Singapore government's detention of Alice Huang, according to the people. Singapore police had questioned Alice Huang and restricted her from leaving the country; BIS was not involved in that action, the people said.
In the weeks that followed, BIS staff were restricted in their ability to look into Megaspeed, including a requirement to route all requests concerning Nvidia through Kessler or seek his approval for outreach, the people said. They were also told not to mention Megaspeed or its Malaysian subsidiary Speedmatrix in external communications.
Teter also contacted BIS staff directly, including requesting a meeting with one employee, according to some of the people. That employee declined, and Teter replied that he did not understand why, since Kessler had granted him permission to communicate with BIS employees. Employees forwarded the email to Kessler, who told them hours later to continue handling the case by the book, one of the people said. The New York Times reported earlier on Teter's outreach to BIS employees and their exchange with Kessler.
A BIS spokesperson said the agency "conducts all enforcement strictly by the book" and enforces aggressively, including on chip smuggling. In late 2025, the Justice Department asked BIS to pause its efforts, and BIS has not made progress since despite having enough evidence to move forward, the people said.
An Nvidia spokesperson said the company consults with government officials "to answer their questions, provide information we have gathered from the field, request their guidance and instructions and ask whether they have any follow-ups." The spokesperson said Teter was unaware of the affair at the time of his call about Alice Huang's detention.
Jensen Huang acknowledged on Sunday that he had an affair with Alice Huang after previously denying the nature of their relationship, which is now the subject of an investigation by Nvidia's board, the report said.