Nvidia Scandal: Alice Huang Banned From Re-Entering Singapore After Finding She Downplayed Her Role At Megaspeed

· Free Press Journal

Singapore has barred Alice Huang, the former Megaspeed chief executive at the centre of the Nvidia scandal, from re-entering the country after police assessed she gave inaccurate information about her role in the firm. The Ministry of Home Affairs said she received a stern warning and left in February. Jensen Huang announced his resignation as Nvidia's chief executive soon afterwards. Singapore also stressed she was not investigated for espionage, and said its probe into Megaspeed and six individuals is continuing.

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The South China Morning Post reported that Huang, a Hong Kong resident, was found to have downplayed her role at Megaspeed during police investigations, the ministry said in a statement on Thursday. The paper said Singapore concluded in February there was insufficient evidence she had committed any offences tied to possible inaccurate declarations by the company. She was nonetheless warned and barred over the information she gave investigators.

Why Singapore investigated

The ministry said it began investigating Megaspeed in February last year over suspected false declarations in the purchase of servers and related offences. The servers were bought by companies that are themselves under investigation, then exported through Singapore to Malaysia without entering the Singapore market. Authorities are examining whether they were later routed from Malaysia to other destinations, contrary to what was declared. The ministry said the investigations were not based on a request from any country or sovereign entity.

How the case unfolded

Singapore first learnt of Washington's interest in Megaspeed and Huang after a US Bureau of Industry and Security check at the company in June last year, which she attended. The ministry said police impounded her passport that day because she was not based in Singapore. It described her as the company's then chief executive, chairperson and one of its key controllers.

A complaint about US cooperation

The ministry said it repeatedly asked the United States for help obtaining information from California-based supplier Supermicro, which had given only limited cooperation. Singapore said it has so far received limited information or assistance. It added that it does not condone companies using a Singapore connection to circumvent other countries' export controls.

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Washington and Beijing

Washington has described Huang as a Beijing spy but has not provided evidence, according to the SCMP report. Beijing earlier dismissed the claims as baseless speculation. On Thursday it urged the US to stop fabricating "spy" narratives as a pretext for a technology blockade.

Megaspeed's response

Megaspeed, an Nvidia chip buyer, is under US investigation over allegations that it helped Chinese firms get around American export limits on advanced AI chips. Director Tan Yong Pong said the company cooperated with the Bureau of Industry and Security inspections and welcomes appropriate government scrutiny. He said it has hired a leading US law firm to review its graphics processors and verify its export-control compliance.

According to Singapore company records, Megaspeed's total assets rose 90-fold to $2.98 billion in 2024 from $32.9 million a year earlier. Revenue climbed from almost nothing in 2023 to $294 million, and liabilities jumped from $22.9 million to nearly $3 billion.

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