Nvidia Counsel Contacted Commerce as Megaspeed Probe Faced New Limits

Nvidia General Counsel Tim Teter contacted Jeffrey Kessler, an undersecretary at the U.S. Department of Commerce, about Huang Le’s detention in 2025, weeks before investigators faced new limits in a related U.S. export-control probe.

At the time, Singapore police had questioned Huang Le and barred him from leaving the country. Teter asked whether the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) was involved in the police action. U.S. officials were examining whether Megaspeed and its Malaysian affiliate had improperly routed Nvidia AI chips.

Within weeks, BIS investigators were told they needed Kessler’s approval before contacting Nvidia. They were also instructed not to identify Megaspeed or its Malaysian subsidiary in external inquiries.

Teter later sought a direct meeting with investigators, but they refused. He said he had Kessler’s approval, and investigators forwarded the exchange to Kessler, who told staff to follow established rules.

At the end of 2025, the Department of Justice (DOJ) told Commerce to end its inquiry and took over a criminal investigation. BIS had evidence to continue its work before the handoff.

Nvidia said it contacted Commerce to share information, learn regulatory requirements and help stop illegal chip transfers. The case puts scrutiny on U.S. enforcement of AI-chip export controls, a major issue in U.S.-China technology relations.