Ex-OpenAI worker accused of planting recording device had Saudi government support, prosecutors say
A Saudi national employed by OpenAI allegedly placed a hidden audio recorder in a conference room where government officials met, and prosecutors claim he had backing from the Saudi royal family and military.
What happened
Abdulrahman Alfozan, a 35-year-old Saudi engineer who worked at OpenAI for around a year, is accused of secretly planting an audio recorder in a conference meeting room. The device was discovered on 30 September, plugged into the back of a TV and covered with toilet paper. On 5 October, surveillance footage showed Alfozan entering the room and appearing to look behind the television. He was arrested by the FBI on 9 October and his OpenAI contract was terminated. According to a US court filing, prosecutors claim Alfozan had "frequent communication" with a member of the Saudi royal family and that a Saudi military official paid for one-way business class tickets for his wife and son to travel from San Francisco to Doha, Qatar on 10 October—the day after his arrest. Alfozan faced a scheduled one-way flight to Riyadh scheduled for three days after his arrest. If convicted, he faces a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Context
The alleged conduct carries national security implications because executives from OpenAI met with government officials in the conference room during the period when the recording device was believed to have been installed. The court filing argues that Alfozan poses a flight risk given the apparent support from Saudi government sources and his family's departure from the United States on arrangements made by a Saudi military official. The case raises questions about foreign espionage targeting US technology firms and their government interactions.
What's disputed
The Saudi government has not responded to requests for comment. The court filing presents prosecutors' claims of Saudi government involvement and communication with the royal family; independent confirmation of these allegations is not provided in the sourcing.