Federal prosecutors allege a former OpenAI engineer planted a secret recording device to spy on company executives, revealing deep ties to the Saudi Royal Family and raising critical questions about insider threats within major artificial intelligence organizations.
Abdulrahman Alfozan was arrested in early October 2026 on charges of attempting to spy on the company. Prosecutors believe he is a serious flight risk and are asking for him to be held in custody until his trial. His lawyers have asked for his release on conditions, including surrendering his passports and wearing an ankle tracker.
Contacts with Saudi Arabia
According to messages, Alfozan communicated frequently with a member of the Saudi royal family in 2025 and 2026. In May 2026, the member told him that Saudi Arabia needed him more than the United States. Alfozan agreed, but said he would not leave OpenAI until his shares were vested.
On October 10, a member of the Saudi military booked and paid for one-way business class tickets for Alfozan’s wife and son to Doha, Qatar. The two left the United States on October 11, two days after his arrest. His wife told the FBI that her visa was expiring and that the family was returning to Saudi Arabia permanently. She added that Alfozan intended to follow her later. He had applied for U.S. citizenship.
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The evidence and claims of both sides
Alfozan's lawyers emphasized in court that he knew that OpenAI had located the recording device about 8 to 10 days before his arrest, but he did not try to escape at that time.
Prosecutors also presented findings from a search of his home: they found electronic components similar to those of the device that had been placed in an OpenAI meeting room. On his iPhone were photos dated September 22 to 28, 2026. They showed another hidden recording device, as well as panels with input and output connections to electronic equipment inside OpenAI buildings.
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