In the Ex-OpenAI employee court case in California, US prosecutors claim that Abdulrahman Alfozan, a Saudi national charged with secretly planting an audio recording device in an OpenAI meeting room, had "considerable support" from the Saudi government. He is accused of hiding the device in a conference room at the AI company, and his case is now before a federal court in San Francisco. The Saudi government did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
What the court filing alleges
Prosecutors said Alfozan, a 35-year-old engineer who had worked at OpenAI for about a year, was in frequent communication with a member of the Saudi royal family. They also said a member of the country's military paid for a one-way flight to Saudi Arabia for his wife and son after his arrest. On that basis, the filing argued he was a flight risk and should be held until trial.
The company found the device on 30 September. It had been plugged into the back of a television in a conference room and covered with toilet paper. A camera placed in the room later recorded Alfozan on 5 October appearing to look behind the television where the recorder had been inserted.
The filing also argues that his alleged conduct could threaten US national security, because executives from the company met government officials in that room in the days when the device is believed to have been installed. Prosecutors added that he has little reason to stay in the United States to see the case through.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- 30 September: OpenAI discovers the recording device in a conference room.
- 5 October: Alfozan is filmed entering the room and appearing to look behind the television.
- 9 October: The FBI arrests Alfozan, and OpenAI terminates his contract.
- 10 October: His wife and son fly from San Francisco to Doha, Qatar, on a one-way business class ticket that the filing says a Saudi military official booked and paid for.
Response and what happens next
The FBI investigation is ongoing. Alfozan is scheduled to appear in federal court in San Francisco later on Monday. The claims in the Ex-OpenAI employee court case are the prosecutors' allegations in a filing, and they have not yet been tested before a judge or jury.
If convicted, Alfozan faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, which the source converts to about £188,000. The Saudi government has not yet responded to the claims about its support.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Ek Saudi shehri, Abdulrahman Alfozan, par OpenAI ki meeting room mein chupke se recording device lagane ka ilzam hai. US prosecutors ka kehna hai ke us ko Saudi government ki kafi madad mili aur us ke biwi aur bete ki Saudi Arabia ki one-way flight ka kharcha ek military official ne uthaya. Yeh sab abhi ilzamaat hain jo court filing mein hain, aur adalat ka faisla abhi baaqi hai. Agar jurm sabit hua to paanch saal tak qaid aur $250,000 jurmana ho sakta hai.
