An OpenAI engineer arrested in San Francisco faces allegations that he concealed an audio recorder in an executive conference room. Authorities say the room hosted discussions involving confidential research, product development and business matters.
The US Department of Justice announced the case on October 13. Abdulrahman Alfozan, 35, a Saudi national who joined OpenAI in July 2025, was arrested on October 9 and charged with illegally intercepting oral communications.
Security Staff Discovered Recorder Behind Television
According to the criminal complaint, OpenAI security personnel found the device on September 30. It was connected to a USB port behind a television in an executive conference room.
Investigators allege that someone installed the recorder around September 28 and concealed it in toilet paper. The device contained encrypted data, according to the Justice Department.
The conference room regularly hosted sensitive discussions. Topics included proprietary research, technical capabilities, product plans, business relationships and government engagements.
However, the information provided does not establish which conversations, if any, the device successfully captured.
Investigators Cite Surveillance Footage and Internal Searches
Security footage allegedly placed Alfozan near the conference room on several occasions. Authorities said he was not authorized to attend the meetings held there.
The complaint also alleges that he searched a productivity tool for details about company offices, meeting rooms and executive locations. Those searches reportedly included meeting schedules.
Separately, investigators identified recording-device questions submitted through a chatbot account associated with Alfozan’s spouse. The account connection does not, by itself, establish who entered those prompts.
According to the complaint, the questions concerned continuous recording, wireless connectivity, remote listening and storage encryption. Some prompts submitted between September 27 and September 28 allegedly referenced identifiers specific to the recovered device.
Second Recording Device Allegedly Found in Bag
Authorities say surveillance footage captured Alfozan returning to the conference room on October 5. He allegedly looked behind the television where security staff had discovered the first recorder.
On the same day, OpenAI security employees reportedly found a second, similar recording device. The complaint says it was inside a bag that Alfozan had left unattended in another room.
These findings form part of the allegations against the OpenAI engineer arrested on October 9. The charge remains an accusation, and prosecutors must prove it in court.
OpenAI Says Its Models Assisted the Investigation
OpenAI said it used its own AI models to examine the suspicious device and help trace its origin. According to the company, that investigation identified an employee it believed had installed the recorder several days earlier.
The company subsequently dismissed the employee and referred the matter to the FBI.
Meanwhile, OpenAI said it had found no indications that the individual improperly accessed or removed model weights, source code or customer data. That statement addresses those specific categories and does not resolve what the alleged recorder may have captured.
If convicted, Alfozan faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
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