World · North America · 4 hrs ago
Former OpenAI engineer pleads not guilty to recording-device charge
Former OpenAI engineer Abdulrahman Alfozan pleaded not guilty in federal court in San Francisco to a charge of intercepting oral communications.
Prosecutors allege he planted a covert recorder in an OpenAI executive conference room to capture sensitive conversations.
Alfozan, a 35-year-old Saudi national, was arrested on October 9, 2026, and has been held without bail.
Court filings say he was due to fly to Riyadh with his wife and son, who left the United States after his arrest.
The charge concerns alleged unauthorized recording of discussions involving senior OpenAI staff.
If convicted, Alfozan faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
His next hearing is scheduled for November 17, 2026.
Former OpenAI engineer Abdulrahman Alfozan has pleaded not guilty to a charge of intercepting oral communications.
Prosecutors allege he planted a covert audio recording device in an executive conference room to record sensitive discussions.
Alfozan appeared in federal court in San Francisco and remains in custody without bail.
He was arrested on October 9, 2026, three days before a planned flight to Riyadh.
His next court hearing is scheduled for November 17, 2026.
- Who
- Abdulrahman Alfozan, a 35-year-old Saudi national and former OpenAI engineer.
- What
- He pleaded not guilty to a charge of intercepting oral communications. Prosecutors allege he planted a covert recording device in an OpenAI executive conference room.
- When
- He entered the plea on Friday; the articles were published on November 9, 2026. His next hearing is scheduled for November 17, 2026.
- Where
- A federal court in San Francisco; the alleged device was in an OpenAI executive conference room.
- Why
- Prosecutors allege he sought to record sensitive internal discussions. His motive is not stated.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Alfozan was arrested and held without bail.
His wife and son flew from San Francisco to Doha, Qatar, on a one-way ticket, according to prosecutors.
Alfozan appeared in federal court in San Francisco and pleaded not guilty.
His next court hearing is scheduled.
- Defendant
- Abdulrahman Alfozan, 35-year-old Saudi national
- Charge
- Interception of oral communications
- Alleged location
- OpenAI executive conference room
- Arrest
- October 9, 2026
- Next hearing
- November 17, 2026
- Potential penalty
- Up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine
2 sources
What people are saying
His wife and son, however, immediately left the United States without him.
Rather than wait until the October 12 flight as booked, they initially planned to fly to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on October 11 on a one-way ticket booked and paid for by the Saudi government.
That flight was canceled, however, when a member of the Saudi military booked and paid for yet another one-way ticket for the defendant's wife and son, this one business class to Doha, Qatar, on October 10, 2026.