A Saudi national, Abdulrahman Alfozan, who had worked as an engineer at OpenAI since July 2025, has been charged federally with secretly planting a recording device in the company’s San Francisco office. Prosecutors allege that Alfozan used a USB port on the back of a TV in an executive conference room to conceal the device, wrapped in toilet paper, and that he had returned to inspect it on 5 October.
OpenAI discovered the device on 30 September, two days after prosecutors say it had been installed, and alerted the FBI. The company said it used its AI models to trace the device back to Alfozan, who has since been terminated. The firm confirmed that no source code, model weights or customer data were accessed during the incident.
FBI Director Kash Patel stated that the alleged goal was to capture information about OpenAI’s AI products. Prosecutors claim Alfozan used the company’s productivity tools and a chatbot to research how to covertly place audio equipment, asking for instructions on building a continuous recorder, customizing Wi‑Fi connectivity, improving audio and live listening, and encrypting the SD card.
Alfozan appeared in court on Tuesday. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
