A federal court filing in California has accused a former OpenAI engineer of having support from the Saudi Arabian government while allegedly attempting to plant a recording device in the company’s offices. Prosecutors stated that Abdulrahman Alfozan, a 35-year-old Saudi national, was in frequent communication with a member of the Saudi royal family. On Monday, U.S. District Judge Alex Tse denied bail for Alfozan, citing him as a significant flight risk.
The allegations follow Alfozan’s tenure of approximately one year at OpenAI. According to the filing, OpenAI staff discovered an audio recorder plugged into the back of a television in a conference room on September 30. The device was reportedly obscured with toilet paper. Following the discovery, a camera was placed in the room, which recorded Alfozan entering and looking behind the television on October 5.
Federal agents arrested Alfozan on October 9, three days before he was scheduled to depart on a one-way flight to Riyadh with his family. Following the arrest, OpenAI terminated his contract. The court document alleges that a member of the Saudi military paid for one-way business class tickets for Alfozan’s wife and son to travel to Doha, Qatar, on October 10. The Saudi government did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Prosecutors stated the alleged conduct poses a danger to U.S. national security because government representatives met with company executives in the conference room during the period the recording device was allegedly active. Alfozan faces a maximum prison sentence of five years and a fine of $250,000 (£188,000) if he is convicted on federal charges.
The court filing indicates that Alfozan’s wife informed the FBI their U.S. visas were expiring and the family intended to move permanently back to Saudi Arabia. Alfozan was scheduled to appear in federal court in San Francisco on Monday for further proceedings. A trial date has not yet been reported.