Ex-OpenAI employee accused of planting device appears to have Saudi backing, court filing shows

An ex-employee of OpenAI, a leading artificial intelligence company, has been accused of installing a recording device in an executive conference room, according to court documents released on October 19, 2026. The individual, identified as Abdulrahman Alfozan, a 35-year-old Saudi national, is alleged to have been in frequent contact with a member of the Saudi Royal family during the alleged incident.

Additionally, it is claimed that the Saudi military paid for a one-way ticket for Alfozan's wife and son to return to Saudi Arabia, according to the court filing.

U.S. prosecutors have requested a federal judge to keep Alfozan in U.S. custody pending trial, citing his potential flight risk. The Saudi government has not yet commented on the allegations. OpenAI, the company at the center of the investigation, stated that it used its models to "understand" the device and determine its origin.