Abdulrahman Alfozan, a 35-year-old Saudi national employed at OpenAI, faces charges related to secretly installing an audio recording device in one of the company’s meeting rooms. Prosecutors have alleged in court filings that Alfozan received substantial backing from the Saudi government, claiming he maintained frequent contact with a member of the Saudi royal family.
OpenAI discovered the concealed audio recorder on 30 September, found plugged into the back of a television in a conference room. Surveillance footage from 5 October reportedly showed Alfozan entering the room and appearing to examine the area behind the television where the device had been planted. He was arrested by the FBI on 9 October, and his employment contract with OpenAI was subsequently terminated.
Prosecutors argued that Alfozan poses a flight risk, noting that his arrest occurred just three days before he was scheduled to depart on a one-way flight to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with his wife and son. Following his arrest, his wife and son traveled to Doha, Qatar, on 10 October aboard a business class ticket purchased by a Saudi military official. The court filing suggests Alfozan intended to follow them to Saudi Arabia.
US District Judge Alex Tse denied bail on Monday, determining there exists a significant risk that Alfozan would not appear for trial. Prosecutors contended the alleged conduct poses a danger to US national security, given that executives from the technology company had met with government officials in the conference room during the period when the device was installed.
If convicted, Alfozan faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The FBI investigation remains ongoing. The Saudi government has not commented on the allegations. Alfozan had been employed at OpenAI for approximately one year before the alleged incident.
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