OPENAI reported that a hidden audio recording device was discovered on 30 September in a TV rear port of an executive conference room at its San Francisco office. The device, encrypted and wrapped in toilet paper, had apparently been in place since 28 September.
Investigators say the suspect, Abdulrahman Alfozan, 35, a Saudi national who worked on OpenAI’s product team, was observed near the room on multiple occasions and later left a bag unattended in another building, where a second similar device and his credentials were found. Federal prosecutors charged him with installing or attempting to install an electronic device to intercept oral communications, and he was arrested on 9 October. He faces up to five years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000 if convicted.
The case rests on CCTV footage, internal OpenAI activity logs, and a review of online prompts linked to Alfozan’s spouse’s account that allegedly described how to build and configure covert recording equipment and enable remote access. OpenAI says there is no indication that Alfozan accessed or exfiltrated model weights, source code, or customer data through any other channel.
The DoJ framing and FBI statements describe the incident as espionage targeting confidential discussions about OpenAI’s research, strategy, and “super intelligence” development. Investigations into the broader impact are ongoing, with prosecutors emphasising safeguarding national security and AI leadership as central concerns.