FBI Weighs Espionage Charge Against OpenAI Engineer
Prosecutors review whether Abdulrahman Alfozan stole company data for the Saudi government while bugging an executive conference room.
By Thomas Walker ·
The FBI is evaluating whether to add an economic espionage charge to the case against Abdulrahman Alfozan, a Saudi engineer accused of secretly recording conversations at OpenAI, according to a law enforcement official.
Alfozan, 35, is a legal permanent resident who was arrested earlier this month in San Francisco. Federal charges currently accuse him of hiding a thumb-sized device with a microphone and camera behind a television in an executive meeting room. The device was wrapped in toilet paper. He faces a maximum sentence of five years for violating a federal recording statute.
The new potential charge examines whether Alfozan stole information to provide to the Saudi government, even without a formal recruitment order. A source familiar with the investigation said OpenAI is determining if the act was corporate espionage or state-sponsored spying. The law enforcement official noted that the probe may not result in additional charges.
Federal prosecutors detailed Alfozan's ties to Saudi Arabia in a court filing. They stated he maintained frequent WhatsApp communications with an unnamed member of the Saudi royal family throughout 2025 and 2026. The family member allegedly offered him a role in a new Saudi AI initiative. The court filing quoted the royal saying, "Saudi needs you more than [sic] the US!" Alfozan replied with "100" but said he would wait for his OpenAI stock to vest before leaving.
Prosecutors identified 5 October as the date of their most recent communication. That was the same day Alfozan allegedly visited the conference room to check on the recording device. OpenAI told the FBI after finding the device during a security sweep on 30 September.
Alfozan studied computer science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and previously worked at Meta. He joined OpenAI in July 2025. William Pernik, his attorney, said he had not received notice of new charges from the government. The Saudi embassy and OpenAI did not comment on the case.
San Francisco Judge Alex Tse ordered Alfozan detained without bail last week due to a risk of flight. The judge called the Saudi Consulate in Los Angeles offer to pay bail in full problematic. Alfozan's next court hearing is set for 6 November.
Source: Middle East Eye
