Nvidia founder Jensen Huang's carefully built image as a near-perfect "national father figure" in Taiwan has collapsed after reports of two affairs, one involving a woman accused of being a Chinese spy — a scandal serious enough that it pushed him to step down as CEO.

• Huang, born in Taiwan, was long treated like a celebrity on visits home, but residents now say the revelations have changed how they see him.
• One of the women linked to him is alleged to be tied to Chinese intelligence, raising security concerns given Huang's prominent role at the top of a major chip company.
• Several Taiwanese residents interviewed said the scandal damaged his once-spotless reputation, with one calling it especially reckless given his position and the people he should have been more careful associating with.
• Some Taiwanese are more worried about the practical fallout: Nvidia's stock has been sliding, and since Taiwan's stock market often moves with US tech stocks, people there are watching their own money, not just the scandal.

Outlook: Expect continued scrutiny of Huang's business and security ties, along with knock-on concern for Nvidia's stock and its ripple effects on Taiwan's market.