New details emerge on former OpenAI engineer accused of bugging a conference room

A former OpenAI engineer accused of secretly installing a recording device in a conference room to gather company information was nearly ready to flee to Saudi Arabia, according to new court documents. Abdulrahman Alfozan, a Saudi national, was arrested last week and faces charges of using a device to intercept oral communications.

Prosecutors revealed that Alfozan's wife and young son had also left the U.S. and traveled to Saudi Arabia on a one-way ticket paid for by a Saudi military official. The documents state that Alfozan has significant resources, including a substantial compensation from his decade-long career at high-tech companies and two bank accounts in Saudi Arabia.

A federal judge denied Alfozan's lawyers' request for home confinement, and his next court date is scheduled for November. Alfozan's lawyer argued that his client had strong ties to the U.S. and was weeks away from obtaining U.S. citizenship. However, Judge Alex Tse questioned whether Saudi Arabia would reimburse Alfozan if he fled and forfeited his bond.