Judge dismisses Sam Altman's sister's sexual abuse lawsuit with prejudice
US District Judge Zachary Bluestone dismissed Ann Altman's lawsuit alleging childhood sexual abuse by her brother, OpenAI's CEO, citing her failure to meet procedural deadlines.
What happened
On Tuesday, US District Judge Zachary Bluestone dismissed the lawsuit filed by Ann Altman against her brother Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, which alleged sexual abuse throughout her childhood. The dismissal was granted with prejudice, meaning the case cannot be refiled in that court. The judge's decision cited Ann Altman's failure over the past year to appear for an independent medical examination and to meet other deadlines despite warnings that non-compliance would result in dismissal. The judge denied Sam Altman's request for attorney fees and costs. Ann Altman's former lawyer, Santos Perez, withdrew from the case this month but stated he continues to believe in Ann's claims.
Context
When the lawsuit was filed, Sam Altman, his mother, and his brothers issued a joint statement denying all allegations and characterizing the claims as deeply hurtful and entirely untrue. The dismissal with prejudice closes the case definitively in federal court, preventing Ann Altman from refiling the same claims in that jurisdiction. The procedural dismissal does not constitute a judgment on the merits of the underlying allegations.
What's disputed
The core allegations of sexual abuse. Sam Altman and his family have categorically denied the claims. The lawyer who represented Ann Altman continues to express belief in her account despite withdrawing from the case.