Former OpenAI engineer charged with planting audio device, alleged Saudi government backing
A former OpenAI employee has been arrested in California on charges of installing a recording device in a meeting room, with prosecutors saying he received support from Saudi officials.
A California court filing alleges that Abdulrahman Alfozan, a 35-year-old Saudi national who worked at OpenAI for about a year, attempted to place an audio recorder in a conference-room television. The device was discovered on 30 September, covered with toilet paper, and a security camera later captured Alfozan looking behind the TV on 5 October. He was arrested by the FBI on 9 October and his contract with OpenAI was terminated.
Prosecutors claim Alfozan maintained frequent communication with a member of the Saudi royal family and that a Saudi military official paid for a one-way flight for his wife and son after his arrest. The filing argues that the alleged espionage could threaten U.S. national security because OpenAI executives met with government officials in the room during the period the device was believed to be installed.
The court document notes that Alfozan was scheduled to travel from San Francisco to Riyadh on a one-way itinerary three days after his arrest. His wife told FBI agents that her U.S. visa was expiring and that the family intended to return permanently to Saudi Arabia. On 10 October, his wife and son flew from San Francisco to Doha on a business-class ticket reportedly booked and paid for by a Saudi military official.
Prosecutors argue that the defendant has little incentive to remain in the United States to face trial. Alfozan is set to appear in federal court in San Francisco on Monday. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.