FBI weighs spying count for Alfozan in OpenAI probe

Abdulrahman Alfozan, a 35-year-old Saudi national and U.S. legal permanent resident, faces a potential economic espionage charge from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The new possible count would follow his existing federal charges for secretly recording conversations inside an OpenAI executive conference room. A law-enforcement official told The Wall Street Journal that the probe questions whether Alfozan stole information from the company to offer to the Saudi government, even if he was not formally recruited to do so.

Alfozan was arrested earlier this month in connection with a thumb-sized device containing a microphone and camera. Prosecutors say he wrapped the gadget in toilet paper and plugged it behind a television in a meeting room at the company's San Francisco office. That space is primarily used by senior executives. The current charge alleges a violation of a federal recording statute, carrying a maximum prison sentence of five years if he is convicted.

Federal prosecutors detailed Alfozan's ties to Riyadh in a court filing. They stated he was in frequent WhatsApp communications with a member of the Saudi royal family throughout 2025 and 2026. The unnamed family member allegedly attempted to recruit Alfozan for a new AI initiative in Saudi Arabia. According to the filing, the royal family member told Alfozan, "Saudi needs you more than [sic] the US!" Alfozan replied, "100," but said he would not leave until his OpenAI stock had vested.

The most recent communication between the two occurred on 5 October, the same day Alfozan allegedly returned to the conference room to check on the hidden device. OpenAI stated it had already removed the equipment on 30 September during a security sweep. The company then notified the FBI after finding the recorder. OpenAI is currently working to determine if the incident represents corporate espionage or state-sponsored spying. A source familiar with the investigation told The Wall Street Journal that the probe may not result in further charges.

Alfozan's attorney, William Pernik, said the defense has not received information from the government regarding additional charges. Alfozan studied computer science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and worked at Meta before joining OpenAI in July 2025. Last week, San Francisco federal judge Alex Tse ordered Alfozan detained without bail. Tse cited a significant risk that Alfozan would flee and called the Saudi Consulate in Los Angeles' offer to pay the bail in full "problematic." The Saudi embassy and OpenAI did not comment on the case.

Alfozan's next court hearing is scheduled for 6 November.