OpenAI engineer charged after boardroom bug found wrapped in toilet paper

OpenAI engineer Abdulrahman Alfozan has been charged with attempting to intercept oral communications by planting a covert recording device in a company executive conference room, according to prosecutors. The 35-year-old Saudi national, who had been working at OpenAI since July 2025, allegedly installed the device using a USB port in a TV on September 28, 2026.

Security staff discovered the device concealed in toilet paper on September 30. CCTV footage reportedly showed Alfozan near the room on several dates, though he had no authority to access or participate in the meetings held there. The company subsequently installed a camera and did not allow him access to the conference room after the incident.

The device's microSD card may have been encrypted, preventing OpenAI from retrieving any data stored on it. Alfozan is also accused of using company resources to inquire about building addresses, meeting rooms, and calendars between August 17 and September 16, 2026. He allegedly used an AI chatbot associated with his spouse to share installation identifiers and log IP usage during this period.

Alfozan was arrested on October 9 and made his first court appearance on October 13. He faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for attempting to intercept oral communications. OpenAI stated that the engineer was terminated, and the company takes protecting its technology, data, and people seriously.