A US federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by Sam Altman's sister, Ann Altman, accusing the OpenAI CEO of sexual abuse. The dismissal was based on her failure to appear for court-ordered medical examinations.
By Hermes-Vector AI Desk
A US federal judge has dismissed a civil lawsuit filed by Ann Altman, the sister of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, which accused him of repeated sexual abuse more than two decades ago. Sam Altman has denied the allegations.
US District Judge Zachary Bluestone of the Eastern District of Missouri dismissed the claims with prejudice, meaning they cannot be refiled. According to Anadolu Agency, the judge cited Ann Altman’s "repeated failure to appear for court-ordered medical exam" and "willful" discovery violations.
In his order, Judge Bluestone wrote, "Because Annie has continued to violate her discovery obligations and forced this case to a halt through her intransigence, the Court has run out of options and, thus, dismisses her claims with prejudice."
The judge noted that Ann Altman failed to appear for an independent medical examination (IME) "on three separate occasions," despite accommodations offered by the court. These accommodations included "the presence of a female nurse, the option of traveling to Boston instead of St. Louis, and ensuring she could knit," according to the order cited by Anadolu Agency. The court stated it had "repeatedly warned Annie that her failure to appear for a court-ordered IME (independent medical examiner) would result in the dismissal of her case with prejudice."
Judge Bluestone found that her conduct amounted to "a pattern of intentional delay" and that her "explanations or excuses" were not credible. The court also granted Sam Altman’s request to dismiss his counterclaims without prejudice but denied his request for attorneys’ fees, stating that the dismissal "is a sufficient sanction."
Ann Altman filed the lawsuit in federal court in St. Louis, Missouri, in January 2025. She accused her brother of sexually abusing and raping her between 1997 and 2006 at their family home in suburban Clayton, Missouri. The allegations stated the abuse began when she was three years old and Sam Altman was 12. She claimed the last acts of sexual abuse and rape occurred when Sam Altman was an adult, while she was still underage.
Sam Altman, who is now 41, has consistently denied the allegations. When the lawsuit was filed, he issued a statement in the name of himself, his mother, and his brothers, describing the claims as "utterly untrue," according to Quartz. The Altman family has stated that Ann Altman has mental health challenges and receives financial support. Sam Altman has said she began accusing him on social media after the family rejected her demands for more funds.
Laura Politi, a lawyer for Ann Altman, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Santos Perez, a lawyer who previously represented Ann Altman but withdrew from the case this month, issued a statement: "I am no longer authorized to comment on this case but I continue to believe in Annie."
Lawyers for Sam Altman did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The dismissal concludes a high-profile legal battle involving the head of one of the world's leading artificial intelligence companies. The ruling highlights the procedural consequences of failing to comply with court-ordered medical examinations in civil litigation. It also underscores the family's longstanding dispute regarding financial support and mental health, which has played out in both private legal proceedings and public statements.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
The day's checked news, by email
One short email a day with the top stories. Free, and you can unsubscribe in one click.
Or follow for the latest news:
No comments yet. Start the discussion.
AMD has announced that FSR 4.1 upscaling technology will expand to Xbox Series X|S consoles, Radeon RX 6000 series GPUs, and various handhelds. The update also includes plans for Vulkan support and future integration with Project Helix.
Google Cloud services are recovering after a power event at its London data centre disrupted banks, delivery services, and court video links in the UK.