On October 29, 2026, the New York Times reported that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was the victim of a Chinese intelligence plot. Mr. Huang had an adulterous affair with a woman who worked for Chinese intelligence.

All countries including the United States engage in intelligence activities, but Chinese intelligence is particularly extensive and skillful. This article provides some details on the threat of Chinese intelligence and what to do if you believe you have been targeted.

“Whole of Society” Approach

Communist China’s intelligence efforts are not focused solely on powerful CEOs but on all aspects of American life. This is the “whole of society” approach.

The CCP wants inside information on anything that can give it an edge in the perceived competition with America. Not only military secrets but economic information and political intelligence down to the local level.

Chinese intelligence also very much plays the “long game.” They are willing to invest significant resources in cultivating an intelligence asset that may not pay off for many years.

What this means in practice is that nearly any American is a potential target from college students to CEOs and government officials.

Unsuspecting Victims

Chinese intelligence agents will not simply ask you to betray your country. Their approaches are much more subtle.

With Mr. Huang they used seduction, but this is not the most common approach. Much more frequently, intelligence agents will pose as fellow professionals engaging in simple networking. They come equipped with a cover story about working for a private business, educational institution or think tank.

The first meeting is often a seemingly harmless coffee or lunch – perhaps it was even arranged by a mutual acquaintance that you trust.

At some point, your new Chinese friend may make an innocent sounding business proposal – for example, they ask you to write a report on your area of expertise or give a presentation. If you accept, the financial compensation is surprisingly generous and comes along with a large dose of flattery to your ego.

The most patriotic Americans can easily fall for this – in your mind you are simply participating in modern global economy. It is actually the first step in a process of exploitation. Once the relationship is established, both the “asks” and the compensation begin to escalate. The hope is that you will in time become a full-fledged asset willing to serve the interests of China in exchange for money, to avoid blackmail, or simply because you are in too deep by the time you realize what’s really going on. Don’t let this happen to you!

Beware of Unsolicited LinkedIn Messages

Chinese intelligence makes extensive use of the professional social networking site LinkedIn to further their objectives.

Almost everyone has a LinkedIn page. If you think about it, LinkedIn is a sort of roadmap to the entire American professional class. It shows not only who has what job but also who is “connected” with who, what schools people attended and even their personal interests.

Chinese intelligence agents have been known to make cold approaches on LinkedIn to people they don’t have a previous connection to. Many serious intelligence failures have begun this way.

Legal Representation

As explained above, even patriotic Americans can unwittingly become assets of communist intelligence through what appear to be harmless networking activities. However, in addition to harming our national interests, even unknowing connections to Chinese (or any foreign) intelligence can create serious legal exposure for you.

There are many cases of Americans who did not realize they had been exploited by Chinese intelligence until the FBI paid them a visit. You do not want to be in this unfortunate situation.

Cooperating with foreign intelligence can violate many federal criminal laws. Not only espionage but also more obscure offenses such as Failure to Register as a Foreign Agent, Acting as an Unregistered Agent of a Foreign Government, and others. In some cases, the government does not have to prove you knowingly did anything illegal to obtain a conviction.

If you believe you have been targeted by foreign intelligence or have been questioned by law enforcement about your foreign connections, you can contact us for a consultation.