US charges OpenAI engineer over alleged attempt to record confidential meetings

• OpenAI engineer Abdulrahman Alfozan has been charged in the US over an alleged attempt to record confidential discussions at the company’s San Francisco offices

• Prosecutors say a concealed recorder was found behind a conference room television, with a second similar device later discovered in his bag

• Alfozan remains in federal custody; authorities have not publicly established any involvement by a foreign government

An engineer employed by OpenAI has been arrested and charged with allegedly concealing an audio recorder in an executive conference room at the company’s San Francisco offices, where confidential technology and business discussions took place.

Abdulrahman Alfozan, a 35-year-old Saudi Arabian national, was arrested on 9 October and made his first federal court appearance on 13 October, according to the US Justice Department.

He faces a charge of using or attempting to use an electronic device to intercept oral communications. If convicted, he could receive a prison sentence of up to five years and a $250,000 fine.

According to the criminal complaint, OpenAI personnel discovered a recording device on 30 September plugged into a USB port behind a television in the conference room. Investigators believe it had been placed there around 28 September.

The device was allegedly wrapped in toilet paper to disguise it, and its contents were encrypted.

Prosecutors said the room hosted discussions about sensitive research, proprietary technology, product development, commercial opportunities and dealings with government agencies and business partners.

Surveillance footage allegedly placed Alfozan near the room on several occasions, despite his not being authorised to enter it or attend meetings there.

Investigators also examined digital searches they linked to him. The complaint alleges that he used a productivity tool to look for information about OpenAI buildings, meeting rooms, executives’ locations and meetings with external partners.

A chatbot account associated with his spouse, which investigators said shared several identifiers with his account, allegedly contained queries about building, installing and concealing recording equipment. Other searches concerned wireless connections, remote listening and encryption, including inquiries relating specifically to the device recovered from the conference room.

On 5 October, surveillance footage allegedly showed Alfozan entering the room and checking behind the television where the recorder had been found.

Later that day, company security staff discovered a second similar device in a bag he had left unattended elsewhere in the building, prosecutors said.

Federal officials described the investigation as part of efforts to safeguard sensitive American technology. FBI director Kash Patel linked the protection of advanced artificial intelligence to economic strength and national security.

US attorney Craig Missakian said the case underscored the importance of protecting technological innovation. The Justice Department said the prosecution supported a presidential national security memorandum aimed at safeguarding American advances in superintelligence.

Authorities have not publicly established that any information obtained through the alleged recording device was passed to a foreign government. The complaint also does not establish that the Saudi government directed or participated in the alleged activity.

Alfozan remains in federal custody. A detention hearing before US magistrate judge Alex G. Tse is scheduled for 19 October. The allegations have yet to be proved in court.

With IANS inputs