Ex–OpenAI engineer accused of bugging workplace stays in jail as prosecutors allege Saudi ties

Abdulrahman Alfozan, the 35-year-old former OpenAI engineer, appeared in courtroom in the present day sporting an orange jumpsuit and white face masks whereas escorted by two U.S. marshals. He will stay in federal custody till his subsequent courtroom date, a preliminary listening to on Nov. 6. He has been in jail because the FBI arrested him on Oct. 9, alleging he planted the gadget in a convention room the place executives, and typically authorities officers, mentioned delicate data, on Sept. 28.

Magistrate Judge Alex G. Tse mentioned a $1 million bond needed to be weighed towards the chance that Alfozan “doubtlessly has entry to a lot larger wealth.”

“Once he leaves, there’s no getting him again, and that’s why it is a greater case,” Tse mentioned within the courtroom Monday morning.

OpenAI terminated Alfozan’s employment on Oct. 9, though Alfozan’s lawyer mentioned Monday in courtroom the corporate by no means formally informed him that. However, per his protection movement, he was informed earlier than his arrest that he had been positioned on administrative depart. Tse famous that OpenAI wouldn’t have fired him if it had no concern about what it discovered.

Fortune was within the San Francisco courtroom for the listening to, as had been about 60 others, together with a bunch of highschool college students who had come to witness a case involving one of the vital outstanding firms within the globe.

Ahead of the courtroom listening to Monday, each prosecutors for the federal authorities and the protection, Alfozan’s legal professional William Pernik, filed courtroom paperwork revealing new particulars in regards to the case. Alfozan sought launch from federal custody, with supervision, resembling an ankle monitor, whereas the U.S. argued there was motive to consider he would go away the nation and that he posed a hazard to the group and to U.S. nationwide safety.

Alfozan faces one depend of utilizing or making an attempt to make use of a tool to intercept oral communications, which carries a most of 5 years in jail. He was charged by legal criticism and has not been indicted or entered a plea. The criticism doesn’t cost him with espionage, theft of commerce secrets and techniques, or appearing as an agent of a overseas authorities, some extent his protection confused in its movement. OpenAI has mentioned it has “no indications” that he inappropriately accessed or took mannequin weights, supply code, or buyer information.

The filings reveal excess of has been recognized thus far about Alfozan and a few of the most controversial particulars of the case, together with why Alfozan had a one-way flight booked to Saudi Arabia three days after his arrest. Alfozan’s lawyer mentioned he’s a citizen of Saudi Arabia, though he has been within the U.S. for 15 years; acquired his inexperienced card in 2020; and joined OpenAI in 2025.

A one-way ticket to Saudi Arabia and potential plans to maneuver again

Alfozan booked the flight to Saudi Arabia on Sept. 13, in accordance with the protection movement, alongside together with his spouse, additionally a Saudi nationwide, and 3-month-old child. The marketplace fare for all three value $1,897.59 and could possibly be modified for a $180 charge, the protection mentioned, including it wasn’t uncommon for its consumer: Alfozan typically books one-way tickets to permit for scheduling flexibility round his work schedule, the protection movement says. In reality, 70% (96 of 138) of the airline bookings “in his electronic mail since January 2021 had been one-way tickets.” His naturalization utility lists 25 journeys overseas between 2020 and 2025, 20 of which included Saudi Arabia, and he returned from each one, in accordance with the protection.

As for the date of Oct. 12, Alfozan booked it for then as a result of that’s the day his spouse’s 60-day grace interval ended after her work allow within the U.S. expired on Aug. 13. Since giving beginning, she has “struggled with postpartum melancholy and nervousness,” the protection movement says. Alfozan filed for paternity depart from OpenAI, set for Oct. 19 to Dec. 20, after which he deliberate to return to the Bay Area and his position at OpenAI.

After Alfozan’s arrest, his spouse allegedly informed authorities that she and their child meant to completely transfer to Saudi Arabia, in accordance with the courtroom submitting. She informed them her husband meant to maneuver there in some unspecified time in the future to be with them, however for now, was spending two months of his paternity depart within the nation earlier than returning to the U.S. In courtroom Monday, nevertheless, the protection mentioned she now plans to return to the U.S. on a brief, short-term B-1 visa. The protection additionally mentioned she left the U.S. quite than overstay her visa.

That is in keeping with a letter one in all Alfozan’s mates submitted for the protection movement, during which the buddy says he spoke to Alfozan about his plan to proceed working within the U.S. and supporting his spouse and child once they returned to Saudi Arabia.

As additional proof of Alfozan’s intent to return to the U.S., his lawyer notes that on Sept. 26, two days earlier than he allegedly planted the gadget, Alfozan registered to attend the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), a conference in Las Vegas scheduled for early January 2027.

In courtroom, Pernik argued that Alfozan stayed within the nation for about eight to 10 days after OpenAI confronted him. “If he actually had been an agent of a overseas authorities … why wouldn’t he simply depart instantly?” Pernik mentioned in courtroom.

Evidence discovered on his iPhone

The U.S. submitting additionally reveals the outcomes of a federal search of Alfozan’s residence and mobile phone. They discovered “a number of digital elements comparable” to the recording gadget Alfozan allegedly put in behind a TV within the convention room, and a second one OpenAI safety employees present in his bag.

On Alfozan’s iPhone had been a number of pictures, dated from Sept. 22 to Sept. 28, 2026, of one other recording gadget. Other photographs confirmed what seemed to be the enter and output panels on televisions and different gadgets in “numerous places in OpenAI buildings” together with one other convention room the place “delicate conferences” often occurred, in accordance with the submitting. This recommended Alfozan “had carried out reconnaissance at OpenAI to find out the place he may set up extra gadgets,” the U.S. submitting says.

Also on Alfozan’s iPhone was a notice he had deleted from September 2026, which had hyperlinks to completely different recording gadgets, together with ones made by Seeed Studio, the kind of gadget Alfozan allegedly put within the convention room and which had been discovered at his residence.

Two different notes stood out. One titled “Riyadh duties,” final modified Sept. 13—the day he booked the flight—listed discovering an condominium and a job for his spouse and getting a Saudi passport for his son. Another, titled “OpenAI depart” and final modified Oct. 7, recommended he deliberate an “early … decide up” of the gadgets and increasing his depart “to full,” in accordance with the U.S. submitting. His spouse additionally informed FBI brokers she had seen her ChatGPT account open on her husband’s laptop computer, the submitting says.

In courtroom, Pernik disputed the federal government’s account of the room. “This was an open room the place anybody might stroll in,” he mentioned, including that Alfozan held conferences and led groups there. The criticism, nevertheless, says Alfozan had no authority to enter the room or participate in conferences there.

“OpenAI inspired Mr. Alfozan to be concerned with Saudi Arabia,” Pernik mentioned.

Prosecutors mentioned in courtroom they don’t know what data Alfozan might have tried to take out of OpenAI and the U.S. “That is the priority, that one thing goes to go away OpenAI and the U.S., and fairly frankly we don’t even know what that’s,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick Parker mentioned.

The courtroom filings additionally reveal Alfozan’s browser historical past, which allegedly exhibits he accessed a folder known as “Saudi Gov Docs” on Oct. 4, 2026. Between July 6 and Sept. 21, 2026, he queried an inner OpenAI productiveness instrument about which OpenAI employees could possibly be appropriate to attend a high-level casual assembly with ministers in Saudi Arabia, and about deliberate OpenAI visits to Saudi Arabia. He additionally requested the instrument on Sept. 7 who at OpenAI is likely to be prone to attend a gathering with the Saudi state–backed AI firm Humain and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) of Saudi Arabia.

He requested the instrument about issues associated to MCIT once more on Sept. 8, about an upcoming Saudi MCIT go to on Sept. 9, in addition to on Sept. 21. Alfozan’s base wage at OpenAI was $385,000, (up from $325,000 when he was employed) plus a $2.2 million new-hire fairness grant.

“OpenAI inspired Mr. Alfozan to be concerned with Saudi Arabia,” Pernik mentioned in courtroom.

Returning to Saudi Arabia

Alfozan’s spouse and little one left the U.S. inside 36 hours of his arrest. They didn’t take the initially deliberate Oct. 12 flight. Instead, the Saudi authorities first booked and paid for one more one-way ticket for her and their son to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Oct. 11. However, in addition they didn’t take that flight, however quite left a day earlier on Oct. 10 on one other enterprise class flight to Qatar booked and paid for by a member of the Saudi army, courtroom paperwork say.

In courtroom Monday, the protection specified that Alfozan’s brother-in-law (his spouse’s sister’s husband) booked the flight. He works within the Saudi authorities, and paid for the flight together with his personal cash.

The Saudi Consulate General in Los Angeles mentioned in an Oct. 14 letter, filed with the protection movement, that it stands able to cowl the complete quantity of any bail bond the courtroom requires. It additionally informed Pretrial Services in writing that it “is not going to situation any journey paperwork” to Alfozan whereas he’s on launch. In courtroom, Pernik mentioned the Saudi authorities was keen to ensure $1 million, “giving their full religion and credit score,” and would notify the State Department. Tse requested whether or not the supply amounted to Saudi Arabia protecting him within the U.S. so it wouldn’t lose its cash. Pernik mentioned the connection mattered greater than the million {dollars}.

Alfozan was “in frequent communication through WhatsApp with a member of the Saudi Royal Family,” the U.S. alleges in its movement. The unnamed royal allegedly tried to recruit Alfozan for an AI initiative being launched in Saudi Arabia, and requested Alfozan when he would go away OpenAI. Alfozan allegedly mentioned he wouldn’t depart till his inventory vested, the federal government’s detention memo learn.

Alfozan communicated with the unnamed royal as lately as Oct. 5, 2026, courtroom paperwork say. In May 2026, the royal informed Alfozan, “Saudi wants you extra then [sic] the US!” Alfozan responded, “100,” indicating settlement.

Alfozan had utilized in July to a program for younger Saudi Arabian leaders, the Misk Foundation’s 2030 Leaders program, in accordance with the U.S. submitting. He had proceeded to the second stage of the method, and checked the standing of his utility, as lately as Sept. 4, filings say. The program would have required him to participate in individual in Riyadh, the submitting says.

At the identical time, Alfozan was on the “verge” of getting U.S. citizenship, the protection movement says. A day after OpenAI discovered the gadget, on Oct. 1, 2026, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services notified him that his citizenship interview was set for Nov. 6, 2026. This was “a long-held dream for the Alfozan household, as it’s for therefore many immigrants,” reads the protection movement. That interview has since been postponed due to the case, and his subsequent courtroom date is ready for Nov. 6, the date of the initially scheduled interview. The protection additionally informed the courtroom that Alfozan had labored and paid taxes within the U.S. for years, and had disclosed even visitors tickets on his citizenship utility.

“His plan was all the time to return to the Bay Area, the place his residence, his profession, and his group are,” the protection movement says. “The proof exhibits that Mr. Alfozan deliberate to accompany his spouse and son to Saudi Arabia for his paternity depart after which return.”