Former OpenAI Engineer Arrested Over Alleged Surveillance Ties to Saudi Arabia
A former OpenAI engineer, Abdulrahman Alfozan, was arrested for allegedly installing a sophisticated listening device in an OpenAI executive conference room. Federal prosecutors highlighted his close contact with a Saudi royal family member and his plans to leave the U.S. for Riyadh.
Alfozan, who earned $385,000 annually and received a $2.2 million equity grant, is accused of using artificial intelligence tools to develop encrypted recording devices targeting OpenAI meeting rooms involving executives, government officials, and business partners.
According to prosecutors, evidence suggests Alfozan planned additional surveillance setups at OpenAI offices. Communication via WhatsApp revealed a Saudi royal prompting Alfozan to return to the kingdom, encouraging his participation in a Saudi AI initiative.
Investigators claim Alfozan placed an audio recording device in a USB port behind a television in an OpenAI conference room, where it stayed for several days. The device was modified to block data transfer between it and the television, with encrypted content stored on a microSD card.
In court filings, photographs illustrated locations for potential additional devices. Internal searches documented meetings between OpenAI and Saudi officials. Notes suggested plans to retrieve devices before leaving the company.
Prior to installation, Alfozan allegedly used his wife’s AI chatbot account to customize the recording device. Research topics included building a continuous audio recorder, capturing microphone audio, and encrypting recordings.
Prosecutors stated, “Meetings in that conference room included discussions of highly confidential technical, commercial, and strategic information.”
OpenAI executives, during the device’s operational period, allegedly held meetings with government officials, indicating potential national security risks.
Photographs on Alfozan’s cellphone depicted another concealed recorder and other electronic equipment in OpenAI meeting rooms.
Prosecutors claimed Alfozan communicated frequently with a Saudi royal family member, being encouraged to join a new AI initiative in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi royal’s messages argued, “Saudi needs you more than the US!”
Alfozan agreed but intended to delay his departure until his stock vested. Despite a planned departure from San Francisco on Oct. 9, only his wife and infant son left for Riyadh, on tickets purchased by a Saudi military official.
With no prior criminal record, Alfozan became a U.S. permanent resident in 2020 and pursued citizenship. OpenAI terminated his employment post-arrest.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Alex Tse denied his lawyers’ request for home confinement, citing risk of flight given his resources and Saudi government connections. Alfozan remains detained awaiting trial.
He is expected in court next month.