Singapore bars former Megaspeed executive amid U.S.-led Nvidia chip export probe
Singapore denied re-entry to Alice Huang and continues investigations into alleged fraud involving Nvidia-related servers, while noting limited assistance from U.S. authorities.
Singapore announced on Thursday that it has barred Alice Huang, a former chief executive of Megaspeed International, from re-entering the country. The decision follows a year-long investigation into a fraud case involving computer servers that may have contained Nvidia chips and were exported to Malaysia. Prosecutors said the alleged transactions totalled about $390 million.
The Ministry of Home Affairs said authorities are examining whether servers shipped through Singapore to Malaysia were subsequently rerouted to other destinations, contrary to export declarations. The probe, which began in February 2025, also involves a fifth individual who was charged with 41 offences on Friday.
Singapore has come under increased scrutiny from the United States over its role as a billing and potential transit hub for Nvidia chips that U.S. officials say have reached China. Since 2022, the United States has restricted exports of Nvidia’s most advanced AI chips to China.
Nvidia’s revenue linked to Singapore rose to 22 % in the fiscal quarter ending July 2025, up from 8 % in 2023, although the country’s trade ministry estimates that chips physically delivered there account for less than 1 % of the company’s total revenue.
Experts note gaps in enforcement of U.S. export rules and Singapore’s corporate-secrecy framework that can hinder tracing the final destination of advanced chips. "Singapore's strong corporate secrecy regulations, which offer extensive protections for foreign investors, can also make it difficult to rapidly identify the true recipients of goods," said Alvin Camba, director of research at Lyvi.
Singapore said it has received limited assistance from U.S. authorities in the investigation. Police sought information from Super Micro Computer Inc., a U.S. server supplier, but the company provided only limited cooperation. The ministry added that Singapore does not enforce unilateral export controls imposed by other countries, but expects companies operating there to consider foreign export rules in their business activities.
Megaspeed, a former spin-off of a Chinese gaming firm, has purchased more than $4.8 billion of Nvidia chips since June 2024, according to reporting, though it denies any wrongdoing. Alice Huang, identified by U.S. intelligence as a Chinese intelligence asset, served as managing director at Megaspeed in 2023 and continued to hold a leading role at the company.
Separately, Nvidia announced that Jensen Huang has stepped down as chief executive after 33 years, appointing CFO Colette Kress as interim CEO while the board conducts a search for a permanent successor.