FBI probes ex-OpenAI engineer

Abdulrahman Alfozan, a former OpenAI engineer, is the subject of an FBI inquiry into potential economic espionage charges. The investigation began after his arrest earlier this month for allegedly installing a hidden recording device in a secure area of the artificial intelligence company. Law enforcement officials are determining if he gathered confidential data for the Saudi government, even without a formal recruitment agreement.

Alfozan, 35, is a Saudi national and US permanent resident. He currently faces one federal charge of unlawfully intercepting communications. The offense carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. His next court date is set for November 6. Prosecutors are also evaluating trade secret theft charges, though investigators have not yet decided if those charges will result in a separate prosecution.

The physical evidence involves a small circuit board and microphone. Alfozan allegedly concealed this equipment behind a television in a conference room reserved for OpenAI executives. OpenAI security staff found and removed the device. They subsequently alerted the FBI. The company is now assessing what data the device captured and whether the incident constitutes corporate espionage or state-sponsored intelligence gathering.

Federal prosecutors have reviewed Alfozan’s digital communications. Records show he exchanged frequent WhatsApp messages with an unnamed member of the Saudi royal family during 2025 and 2026. The royal contact reportedly tried to recruit him for a Saudi AI initiative. One message read, 'Saudi needs you more then [sic] the US!' Alfozan replied, '100,' but stated he planned to stay at OpenAI until his stock options vested.

The last known message between the two occurred on October 5. On that same day, Alfozan allegedly returned to the conference room to retrieve the hidden device. He was arrested three days before a planned departure. He had bought one-way tickets to Saudi Arabia via Istanbul for himself, his wife, and their three-month-old son.

After Alfozan's arrest, his wife and son flew to Qatar on business-class tickets. Prosecutors say a Saudi military official purchased the fares. Defense attorneys identified the official as the wife's brother-in-law and stated no military funds were used. They also noted Alfozan frequently booked one-way flights.

US Magistrate Judge Alex G. Tse reviewed a letter from the Saudi Consulate in Los Angeles during an October 19 detention hearing. The consulate offered to cover Alfozan's entire bail bond. The judge questioned the offer, asking, 'Even if I set it at $10 million?' He described the proposal as a blank check. Alfozan was denied bail because the judge determined he posed a high flight risk. His attorney, William Pernik, said the defense has not received notice of new charges and will fight the case in court.