Nvidia CEO's affair scandal sparks talk of record $80bn divorce payout, the largest in history

Lori Huang, the wife of Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, could walk away with half of his $155.2 billion fortune if the couple get divorced after he admitted to having an affair. Alice Huang (not related to the family) is suspected of being a Chinese spy, and the company is now looking into the allegations. It is unclear whether Lori and Jensen have a prenuptial agreement. Lori will be entitled to $77 billion, half of his fortune.

Security filings show that Jensen has moved around 600 million Nvidia shares into several family trusts and limited liability companies. He also has direct control of around 70 million shares and holds a 3.4 per cent stake in the Nvidia stock. If Lori decides to leave Jensen, she would still be entitled to around 335 million shares worth around $60 billion. According to Nvidia’s 2026 proxy, shares in Jensen's name are held in trusts, and both spouses are co-trustees. Both of them “may be deemed to have shared Beneficial interest.”

Also Read: Who is Alice Huang, the woman Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang allegedly had an affair with?

California marital property law

Lori will be entitled to what is known as community property in California, as both husband and wife have equal rights over everything acquired by a spouse during marriage. Besides the 670 million known shares, around 140 million more are in two irrevocable trusts. However, gaining access to those assets might not be easy game, depending on the rules that have been set.

Also Read: $4.8 billion chip puzzle: How Nvidia's Megaspeed connection unravelled an alleged honeytrap plot

Huang and Lori Huang married in 1985, eight years before he co-founded Nvidia in 1993, which is why almost all of his fortune made through Nvidia will be considered marital property and, under California law, a community property state, will be divided equally in a divorce. The couple has two children, both of whom work at the company.

Also Read: From chip war to political witch-hunt: How Chinese media views Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's affair scandal

Jensen Huang net worth, as per Forbes

According to a report by KuCoin, the couple also owns three properties in Los Altos Hills, Maui, and San Francisco's Gold Coast, valued at $70 million to $95 million. According to Forbes, Huang's fortune sits at $155.2 billion. While the exact figure is hard to determine, Lori will get around $77 billion, one of the largest billionaire divorces. MacKenzie Scott, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos's ex-wife, received $36 billion in the company shares when the couple divorced.

Melinda Gates also reportedly got around $70 billion in her divorce settlement, although the exact figure is not clear. Upon leaving her role as co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in May 2024, an additional $12.5 billion was set aside by Bill Gates for her independent philanthropic work.