OpenAI engineer charged over concealed executive room recorder

A former OpenAI engineer, Abdulrahman Alfozan, has been charged with installing a concealed recording device in a confidential executive meeting room at one of the company's San Francisco facilities. The 35-year-old Saudi national was arrested on October 9 and made his initial court appearance on October 13. He remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing on October 19.

According to federal prosecutors, Alfozan is alleged to have used a device to intercept oral communications in the conference room, which was discovered on September 30 behind a television. The device was concealed inside toilet paper inserted into the television's USB port. The complaint does not clarify whether any confidential conversations were successfully captured or transmitted.

OpenAI discovered the equipment during a security inspection and identified Alfozan as the employee who installed it. The company subsequently dismissed him and referred the matter to the FBI. The conference room is said to have hosted discussions on a range of sensitive topics, including proprietary research, product plans, and business opportunities. Alfozan was not authorized to enter the room or attend meetings held there.

Investigators allege that Alfozan had engaged in preparatory activities for the alleged surveillance, such as using a productivity tool to seek information about company buildings, conference-room capacities, and meeting calendars. Additionally, a chatbot account associated with his spouse allegedly inquired about constructing, disguising, and remotely accessing audio recorders, as well as the device's unique technical features.

On October 5, security personnel found another recording device resembling the first one inside a bag left unattended by Alfozan in an OpenAI building. The bag also contained his wallet and identification. US Attorney Craig Missakian emphasized the protection of technological innovation as a national security priority, while FBI Director Kash Patel highlighted safeguarding sensitive research and proprietary technology as a counterintelligence priority.

Alfozan faces a maximum of five years' imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release if convicted. Any sentence would depend on the court's assessment of the applicable law and sentencing guidelines. He is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The charge pertains to the interception of spoken communications, not an allegation of hacking computer systems.

The investigation is ongoing, conducted by the FBI in collaboration with the US Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California and the Justice Department's National Security Division.