FBI arrest Saudi OpenAI employee for allegedly planting recording device in office

What happened: OpenAI said it found a hidden recording device in an executive conference room at its San Francisco office and alerted the FBI. Employee Abdulrahman Alfozan, a 35-year-old Saudi national, was fired and arrested on October 9. Key numbers: Alfozan joined OpenAI as an engineer in July 2025. Why it matters: Prosecutors said the room hosted discussions of highly confidential technical, commercial, and strategic information. OpenAI said it found no indications the individual inappropriately accessed or exfiltrated model weights, source code, or customer data. Coverage: 14 outlets in 24h

OpenAI said it found a hidden recording device in an executive conference room at its San Francisco office and alerted the FBI. Employee Abdulrahman Alfozan, a 35-year-old Saudi national, was fired and arrested on October 9.

Prosecutors said the room hosted discussions of highly confidential technical, commercial, and strategic information. OpenAI said it found no indications the individual inappropriately accessed or exfiltrated model weights, source code, or customer data.