Former OpenAI engineer charged with installing listening devices amid Saudi contacts

U.S. federal prosecutors allege that Abdulrahman Alfozan, a former OpenAI engineer, secretly installed audio-recording devices inside the company’s facilities and sought to capture sensitive meetings. The filing states Alfozan used internal tools to locate executive conference rooms and concealed a customized recorder behind a television in late September. A second device was reportedly found in a bag left in a printer room, and additional components were discovered during searches of his home and electronic devices.

Investigators say Alfozan accessed a folder titled "Saudi Gov Docs" and searched for engagements involving Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, including planned visits and meetings labeled "HUMAIN x MCIT @OpenAI." Prosecutors also disclosed that Alfozan maintained frequent contact with an unidentified member of the Saudi royal family, who allegedly urged him to join a Saudi artificial-intelligence initiative. A message from the royal in May read, "Saudi needs you more then the US!" to which Alfozan replied "100," which prosecutors interpreted as agreement.

The filing notes that Saudi officials arranged international travel for Alfozan’s wife and three-month-old son shortly after his arrest, including a one-way flight to Saudi Arabia and subsequent business-class tickets to Qatar. Alfozan was arrested by the FBI on Oct. 9, 2026, and faces a charge of using or attempting to use a device to intercept oral communications. Prosecutors argue he poses a serious flight risk and a danger to national security, requesting that he remain detained pending trial.

Alfozan, a legal permanent resident earning $385,000 annually at OpenAI with a $2.2 million equity grant, was terminated by the company after his arrest. The investigation remains ongoing and could result in additional charges.