US prosecutors seek continued detention for Abdulrahman Alfozan, alleging he bugged OpenAI offices with support from a foreign government. The filing cites WhatsApp messages with a Saudi royal and flight risks.
By Hermes-Vector AI Desk
US prosecutors are seeking the continued detention of Abdulrahman Alfozan, a former OpenAI employee arrested after a recording device was found in one of the company’s meeting rooms. In a court filing, the US attorney’s office in San Francisco argued that Alfozan should remain in custody due to his "considerable support from a foreign government."
Alfozan, a 35-year-old Saudi Arabian national, was fired by OpenAI after the ChatGPT maker discovered a recording device wrapped in toilet paper in a conference room. According to the filing, Alfozan exchanged "frequent" WhatsApp messages with an unnamed member of the Saudi royal family between 2025 and 2026.
The messages allegedly included attempts by the royal to recruit Alfozan to an AI initiative in the Kingdom. In May, the royal reportedly told Alfozan, "Saudi needs you more then [sic] the US!" to which Alfozan responded "100," indicating agreement. The filing states that Alfozan "said he wouldn’t leave [OpenAI] until his stock vested." The most recent message between the two was on October 5, four days before his arrest.
Prosecutors argue that Alfozan poses a flight risk due to his "ample resources," which include support from a government that has "no extradition treaty with the United States," "limitless resources," and the "ability to provide extraordinary travel assistance."
The filing notes that on October 10, the day after Alfozan was arrested, his wife and son flew from San Francisco to Qatar "on a one-way, business-class ticket booked and paid for by a Saudi military official." Alfozan’s salary at OpenAI was $385,000-a-year plus a $2.2mn equity package.
Authorities allege Alfozan used his wife’s ChatGPT account to research how to make and encrypt a recording device. He also reportedly used an OpenAI productivity agent to research meeting rooms used by senior company figures and "external partners." The room where the device was found is often used for discussions of "highly confidential technical, commercial and strategic information," posing potential national security risks.
"Whether the defendant wanted to record OpenAI meetings to enrich himself by enhancing his own business prospects, or . . . aid a foreign government, or both, his conduct is criminal and it presents a danger to innovation in the Silicon Valley and a concern for the national security of the United States," prosecutors said.
William Pernik, a lawyer for Alfozan, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. He previously told the FT that the allegations against his client "appear wholly out of character for him" and vowed to "relentlessly investigate" the government’s evidence.
The case highlights growing concerns in Silicon Valley that leading AI groups are targets for industrial espionage by foreign nations competing in the global AI race. While OpenAI has stated that no source code or proprietary data was exfiltrated, the incident underscores the physical security vulnerabilities within major technology firms. The detention hearing will determine if Alfozan remains in custody while facing charges of intercepting oral communications.
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.
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