Jensen Huang's Exit and Affair Put Billions in Nvidia Stock Under Scrutiny

OPA WIRE, Nov 14 (OPA) — Huang resigned this week as Nvidia’s president, CEO, and director after sending a letter to employees admitting to marital infidelity. The board appointed chief financial officer Colette Kress as interim CEO and named Harvey Jones as its first board chair while searching for a permanent successor. The disclosure followed media reports linking Huang to individuals scrutinized by intelligence agencies, prompting independent board investigations and an ongoing FBI inquiry, though Nvidia stated there is no reason to believe national security or company secrets were compromised.

Huang reported beneficial ownership of about 870.6 million Nvidia shares, representing 3.58% of the company's outstanding stock, as of March 23, 2026, according to the company's proxy statement. Jensen and Lori Huang are co-trustees of a living trust holding about 528.5 million shares, alongside two other family trusts that push their combined trust holdings to nearly 669 million shares. An additional 73.3 million shares are held by limited liability companies tied to the living trust, while the Jen-Hsun & Lori Huang Foundation holds another 58.7 million shares with assets valued at about $9.2 billion at the end of 2024.

The couple met as lab partners at Oregon State University and married in 1985, eight years before Huang co-founded Nvidia in 1993. Because they reside in California, a community-property state, assets acquired during the marriage are generally owned jointly and divided equally in a divorce. Legal experts note that Lori Huang could potentially be entitled to half of the community-property portion of their holdings, though the exact distribution depends on trust structures, prenuptial agreements, and how shares were acquired.

California operates as a no-fault divorce state, meaning infidelity does not inherently alter the division of community assets. Huang's net worth stands at approximately $145 billion, making him the world's 13th-richest person according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. However, that figure fluctuates with Nvidia's market valuation, which dropped significantly in the wake of his resignation and disclosures.