FBI considers spying charges for man who hid mic in OpenAI office
Prosecutors examine whether a former engineer passed confidential AI data to Saudi Arabia while planning a quick exit.
By Andrew Yang ·
Federal agents are deciding whether to charge a former OpenAI engineer with economic espionage. Abdulrahman Alfozan faces this scrutiny after allegedly hiding a recording device in a restricted executive conference room.
The FBI is looking into whether Alfozan gathered secret information for the Saudi government. A law enforcement official told the Wall Street Journal that prosecutors are examining if he passed confidential data to Riyadh. This is true even if he was not formally recruited as a spy. Authorities are also weighing trade secret theft charges, though the case may not lead to a new prosecution.
Alfozan, 35, is a Saudi national and US permanent resident. He allegedly concealed a small circuit board and microphone behind a television. The room was primarily used by OpenAI executives. He currently faces a federal charge of unlawfully intercepting communications. That charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. His next court date is set for November 6.
Prosecutors reviewed his digital communications. Alfozan exchanged frequent WhatsApp messages with an unidentified member of the Saudi royal family in 2025 and 2026. The royal contact tried to recruit him for a Saudi AI project. The message read, 'Saudi needs you more then [sic] the US!' Alfozan replied, '100.' He said he would stay at OpenAI until his company shares vested. The last known exchange happened on October 5. That was the same day he allegedly went back to retrieve the device. OpenAI security had already found and removed it.
The case gained attention due to travel plans. Alfozan bought one-way tickets to Saudi Arabia via Istanbul for himself, his wife, and their infant son. He was arrested three days before the flight. His wife and son later traveled to Qatar on business-class tickets. Prosecutors said a Saudi military official paid for those seats. Defense attorneys stated the official was the wife's brother-in-law and that Alfozan often booked one-way flights.
US Magistrate Judge Alex G. Tse denied bail on October 19. The judge questioned a letter from the Saudi Consulate in Los Angeles. The consulate offered to cover the full bail bond. Tse noted the offer seemed like a blank check to ensure his release. The judge determined Alfozan posed a significant flight risk.
Attorney William Pernik said he had no indication of new charges. Pernik stated that Alfozan will fight the allegations in court. OpenAI is still reviewing what the device may have captured. The company is determining if this was corporate espionage or state-sponsored intelligence gathering.
