San Francisco · OpenAI · FBI · DOJ · Decrypt
According to the criminal complaint, OpenAI staff found the recorder on or around Sept. 30
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Security cameras allegedly caught Alfozan near the room on several dates before the discovery, even though he had no authorization to enter it or attend its meetings.
Key facts
- The Justice Department identified the suspect as Abdulrahman Alfozan, a 35-year-old Saudi national who has worked as an engineer at OpenAI since July 2025
- Between Sept. 24 and 30, it allegedly asked how to build a continuous audio recorder, add Wi-Fi connectivity, improve live listening, and encrypt the device's SD card
- If convicted, Alfozan faces up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release
- According to the criminal complaint, OpenAI staff found the recorder on or around Sept. 30, plugged into a USB port on the back of a TV and wrapped in toilet paper
Summary
The FBI arrested OpenAI engineer Abdulrahman Alfozan on Oct. 9 for allegedly planting a hidden audio recorder in an executive conference room at the OpenAI’s San Francisco offices. Prosecutors say a chatbot account tied to his spouse asked how to build, hide, and remotely access a continuous audio recorder days before the device was installed. OpenAI says its models helped identify him and that it has no indication he took model weights, source code, or customer data. An OpenAI engineer is in federal custody after allegedly hiding an encrypted audio recorder behind a television in one of the company's executive conference rooms in San Francisco. “We discovered a sophisticated recording device that was hidden inside one of our offices,” OpenAI said .