Singapore seized the passport of Chinese businesswoman Alice Huang in 2025 while investigating her involvement in suspected offences linked to artificial intelligence (AI) chip transactions, months before she became embroiled in the scandal that led to Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang’s resignation.
The Ministry of Home Affairs said on Thursday that police impounded her passport after interviewing her in June 2025, following a shipment verification inspection conducted by the US Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) at Megaspeed, a Singapore-based Nvidia customer.
Alice Huang, who was then Megaspeed’s chief executive and chairperson, was present during the inspection. Singapore said it was the first time it became aware of Washington’s interest in the company and the businesswoman.
Authorities stressed that their investigation concerned suspected offences in Singapore and was not related to espionage. They were examining her possible involvement in offences given her senior positions and control over Megaspeed.
Singapore had launched an independent investigation in February 2025 into several companies, including Megaspeed, over suspected false declarations involving the purchase of servers and other related offences.
The authorities were also investigating whether servers had been purchased and exported through Singapore to Malaysia without entering the Singapore market.
The ministry said there was insufficient evidence to establish that Alice Huang had committed any offences. However, investigators found that she had provided police with information she knew to be inaccurate and had downplayed her role in Megaspeed.
She left Singapore in February after authorities returned her passport but was barred from re-entering the country. She could not be reached for comment.
The investigation also involved US AI server manufacturer Super Micro Computer. Singapore said the company had provided only limited cooperation, prompting repeated requests to the US Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation for assistance in securing its cooperation.
“Despite these repeated requests, Singapore has to date received limited information or assistance in respect of the company,” the ministry said.
In March, three people associated with Super Micro, including one of its co-founders, were charged by US prosecutors over allegations of helping smuggle billions of dollars’ worth of AI chips to China through Southeast Asia and Taiwan.
The developments come as Alice Huang finds herself at the centre of a separate controversy involving Nvidia co-founder and former chief executive Jensen Huang.
Nvidia announced on Thursday that Jensen Huang, 63, had resigned following reports of two extramarital affairs, including an alleged relationship with Alice Huang, whom US authorities suspect of spying for Beijing.
However, US Attorney-General Todd Blanche said on Thursday that the Justice Department had not reached a conclusion on whether Alice Huang was a Chinese spy.
Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs said investigations involving Megaspeed and six individuals were still ongoing, adding that it would not allow businesses or individuals to exploit the country’s commercial environment for fraudulent or dishonest activities.
Megaspeed, meanwhile, said it took its obligations under US export control laws extremely seriously and had cooperated with inspections by American authorities.
