Former OpenAI engineer pleads not guilty to office bugging

A former OpenAI employee, Abdulrahman Alfozan, has pleaded not guilty in a San Francisco federal court to charges arising from allegedly planting a covert audio recording device in an OpenAI executive conference room. The indictment, reported by Bloomberg and CNBC, centres on a single count of interception of oral communications. Prosecutors say the Saudi national’s actions aimed to unlawfully record sensitive conversations involving senior OpenAI personnel and executives.

If convicted, Alfozan faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, followed by three years of supervised release. He has been held without bail since his arrest on 9 October 2026, with the next court hearing scheduled for 17 November 2026.

Court filings and media coverage describe a case built on the allegation that Alfozan used a "sophisticated recording device" for catching sensitive discussions in the company’s offices. Additional context outlined by prosecutors includes details about Alfozan’s travel plans and family connections; the defendant was reportedly preparing for a one-way flight from San Francisco to Riyadh when he was detained, while his wife and son are said to have pursued alternate itineraries.

Investigative materials also mention frequent WhatsApp contact with a member of the Saudi Royal Family and describe the defendant as a flight risk, citing attempts to create bespoke, encrypted devices. The information is drawn from Bloomberg and CNBC reports on the indictment and court filings.