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← Signal: State & Power

Former OpenAI engineer arrested for allegedly bugging company offices; planned Saudi Arabia travel

Confirmed1 source · Oct 20, 2026

Federal prosecutors say Abdulrahman Alfozan, a 35-year-old Saudi national and OpenAI engineer, was arrested in early October after allegedly hiding a recording device in the company's offices.

Former OpenAI engineer arrested for allegedly bugging company offices; planned Saudi Arabia travel
Image via The Hill

What happened

Abdulrahman Alfozan, a 35-year-old Saudi national employed as an engineer at OpenAI, was arrested in early October on charges related to allegedly concealing a recording device in the company's conference room or offices. According to federal prosecutors, Alfozan was planning to travel to Saudi Arabia when he was arrested earlier this month.

Context

The arrest suggests potential industrial espionage or corporate surveillance concerns at OpenAI, a major AI company. The defendant's planned departure to Saudi Arabia prior to arrest raises questions about whether he may have been attempting to flee the country.