FBI Review: Ex-OpenAI Engineer Faces Espionage Scrutiny Over Saudi Links
Prosecutors examine whether Abdulrahman Alfozan sent confidential data to Riyadh after hiding a microphone in an executive conference room.
By Lily Morgan ·
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is determining if former OpenAI engineer Abdulrahman Alfozan should face economic espionage charges for allegedly sharing company secrets with Saudi Arabia. The agency reported this development on Saturday, citing a review of Alfozan’s actions and communications.
Alfozan, a 35-year-old Saudi national and U.S. permanent resident, is currently charged with unlawfully intercepting communications. Prosecutors allege he concealed a small circuit board and microphone behind a television in a room used primarily by OpenAI executives. They are also weighing trade secret theft charges, though no decision has been made on additional prosecutions.
Investigators found frequent WhatsApp messages between Alfozan and an unidentified member of the Saudi royal family during 2025 and 2026. The royal family member allegedly tried to recruit him for a Saudi AI initiative, writing that “Saudi needs you more then [sic] the US!” Alfozan responded with “100” but stated he planned to stay at OpenAI until his stock options vested.
The last known message exchange occurred on October 5. On that date, Alfozan allegedly returned to the conference room to retrieve the recording device. OpenAI security staff had already found and removed the equipment before notifying the FBI. Alfozan’s next court appearance is set for November 6.
Prosecutors noted that Alfozan bought one-way tickets to Saudi Arabia via Istanbul for himself, his wife, and their three-month-old son. He was arrested three days before the planned departure. His wife and son later flew to Qatar on business-class tickets purchased by a Saudi military official. Defense attorneys said the official was the wife’s brother-in-law and that no military funds were used.
During an October 19 detention hearing, U.S. Magistrate Judge Alex G. Tse reviewed a letter from the Saudi Consulate in Los Angeles offering to cover the full bail bond. The judge called the offer a “blank check” and denied bail, citing flight risk concerns. Alfozan’s attorney, William Pernik, said the client will fight the charges in court rather than in the press.
OpenAI is currently analyzing what data the device captured and whether the incident constitutes corporate espionage or state-sponsored intelligence gathering. The company has not publicly commented on the FBI’s ongoing review.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
