A former OpenAI engineer, Abdulrahman Alfozan, has been arrested for allegedly planting a hidden audio device in a San Francisco office.
The case highlights significant concerns regarding insider threats in tech environments, as investigators found evidence the engineer used internal tools to identify sensitive meeting rooms and possessed additional recording components.
The eavesdropping device
The device was found in a TV port in the room. According to the evidence, the defendant had encrypted the data recorded by the device so that it was not directly accessible. In addition, he had used OpenAI tools to identify which meeting rooms were most frequently used by company executives. Photos found on his phone show that he had also examined other TVs in company rooms.
The connection with Saudi Arabia
US authorities identified Alfozan's systematic communication, via WhatsApp, with a member of the Saudi royal family during 2025 and 2026. In these conversations, proposals were made to the engineer to work on an artificial intelligence program in Saudi Arabia.
Departure plans
The defendant had booked tickets to permanently leave the United States for Riyadh on October 12, 2026. After his arrest, his wife and child left for Saudi Arabia. During a search of his home, components similar to those of the wiretapping device were found.
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Alfozan faces one charge of unlawful interception of oral communications, an offense that carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The court ordered his pretrial detention, ruling that there was a risk that he would flee abroad.
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