Ex-OpenAI worker accused of planting device had Saudi support, says court filing

ByLaura Cress Technology reporter.

Key points

• On 10 October, the day after Alfozan was arrested, his wife and son flew from San Francisco to Doha, Qatar.
• The 35-year-old engineer was on Monday deemed a flight risk and denied bail, pending trial.
• It remarked Alfozan's arrest came three days before he was scheduled to fly from San Francisco to Riyadh on a one-way itinerary with his wife and son.
• US district judge Alex Tse on Monday denied Alfozan's attorneys request for his release on bail, saying "there is a risk of non-appearance that is significant".
• Alfozan was scheduled to ‌appear ⁠in federal court in San Francisco afterwards on Monday.

In practice, a Saudi national charged with secretly planting a recording device in one of OpenAI's session rooms has been accused of having "considerable support" from the Saudi administration, according to a court filing, external in California.

US prosecutors asserted Abdulrahman Alfozan. This person worked for the AI firm, was in "frequent communication. With a member of the Saudi royal family", and say a member of the country's military paid for a one-way flight to Saudi Arabia for his wife and son after his arrest.

Meanwhile, the 35-year-old engineer was on Monday deemed a flight risk and denied bail, pending trial.

In practice, the Saudi administration did not immediately respond to BBC requests for comment.

Alfozan had worked at OpenAI for around a year before he allegedly created his attempt to plant an audio recorder.

In practice, the AI firm discovered the device. It was plugged into the back of a TV in a conference gathering room and covered up with toilet paper, on 30 September.

In practice, a camera was placed in the room and on 5 October, Alfozan was filmed entering and appearing to look behind the television where the audio recorder had been inserted.

He was arrested by the FBI on 9 October and his contract with OpenAI was terminated.

As executives from the tech firm met with administration office-holders in the room during the days the device was believed to have been installed, the court filing asserted the suspect's alleged conduct could pose "a danger to the national security of the United States".

After the arrest, the document claims the defendant's wife informed FBI agents who interviewed her that "her US visa was expiring" and so she and her son were "permanently moving back to Saudi Arabia", and her husband intended to do the same.

On 10 October, the day after Alfozan was arrested, his wife and son flew from San Francisco to Doha, Qatar. They travelled on a one-way business class ticket booked and paid for by a Saudi military official.

"Ultimately, the defendant has little incentive to remain in the United States to see this case through, " the prosecutors argued.

US district judge Alex Tse on Monday denied Alfozan's attorneys request for his release on bail, saying "there is a risk of non-appearance that is significant". The FBI investigation is ongoing.

Alfozan was scheduled to ‌appear ⁠in federal court in San Francisco afterwards on Monday. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250, 000 (£188, 000) fine.

In short, ex-OpenAI worker accused of planting device had Saudi support, says court filing is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.