A federal judge has ordered Abdulrahman Alfozan, a former OpenAI engineer, to remain in custody while he faces a charge of attempting to intercept oral communications with a hidden recording device. Prosecutors argue he posed a serious flight risk because he had planned to travel to Saudi Arabia and his wife and son left the United States after his arrest on a ticket paid for by a Saudi military official.
OpenAI employees discovered the encrypted device on Sept. 30, concealed in toilet paper and connected to a USB port behind a television in an executive conference room in San Francisco.
The criminal complaint says Alfozan had no authority to enter the room but appeared near it repeatedly. After the company installed a camera, footage allegedly showed him entering on Oct. 5 and checking behind the television. Security personnel also found a second, similar recording device in an unattended bag containing his wallet and identification.
Investigators further allege that Alfozan used a productivity tool to search for office addresses, meeting rooms, calendars and executive locations. Some prompts allegedly referred to the first device’s identifying information.
Alfozan was arrested by the FBI on Oct. 9 and his employment was terminated. OpenAI said it had found no indication that he accessed or removed model weights, source code or customer data, while also saying the device was designed to avoid detection and that it had evidence of plans to place additional devices.
In seeking continued detention, prosecutors said Alfozan had frequent WhatsApp contact with a member of the Saudi royal family who repeatedly tried to recruit him for an artificial-intelligence venture in Saudi Arabia. They also cited his resources, Saudi bank accounts and the travel arrangements for his family as evidence of possible foreign-government support. The filing does not establish that the royal family member directed the alleged recording attempt.
Investment assets as bond and said the family’s planned Saudi trip was connected to paternity leave. Judge Alex Tse nevertheless found the risk of nonappearance significant and denied release to home confinement.
The charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine if Alfozan is convicted. He is expected to return to federal court in November while the FBI investigation continues.