Prosecutors argued that he had substantial support from Saudi Arabia and posed a serious flight risk, citing his planned travel, Saudi bank accounts and communications with a member of the Saudi royal family.
Alfozan, 35, was arrested on Oct. 9 and charged with using or attempting to use a device to intercept oral communications. OpenAI discovered a thumb-sized recorder on Sept. 30, concealed in toilet paper and connected to a USB port behind a television.
After the device was found, OpenAI installed a camera in the room. Prosecutors say footage recorded Alfozan entering on Oct. 5 and looking behind the television. Security staff also found a second, similar recorder in a bag he had left in another room. Court documents allege that Alfozan had used an internal productivity tool to examine meeting rooms and executive schedules, while a chatbot account linked to his wife was used to ask about building, concealing, encrypting and remotely accessing a recording device.
Prosecutors said Alfozan had been due to fly to Riyadh with his family on a one-way itinerary shortly after his arrest. His wife and son instead flew from San Francisco to Doha the next day on a business-class ticket paid for by a Saudi military official. The government also said a Saudi royal family member had repeatedly tried to recruit Alfozan for an artificial-intelligence venture.
Alfozan’s lawyer argued that his client had lived in the United States for 15 years, was a lawful permanent resident and was willing to pledge about $1 million in assets. The judge rejected home confinement, finding a significant risk that Alfozan would not appear. Alfozan joined OpenAI in July 2025 and was dismissed after his arrest. OpenAI has said it found no indication that he accessed or removed model weights, source code or customer data. He faces up to five years in prison if convicted and is presumed innocent.