Former OpenAI engineer charged with bugging conference room allegedly had Saudi government backing, feds warn of national security danger

Abdulrahman Alfozan, a 35-year-old Saudi national and former OpenAI engineer, is charged with planting a recording device in the company’s San Francisco headquarters, and a court filing alleges he had considerable support from the Saudi government. Federal prosecutors warn his conduct could pose a danger to U.S. national security.

On or about September 28, Alfozan inserted a surreptitious audio recording device into a USB port on the back of a television in an executive conference room, where it remained for at least multiple days, according to the filing. OpenAI discovered the device on September 30, covered with toilet paper. The room is frequently used for discussions of highly confidential technical, commercial, and strategic information, including proprietary research and nonpublic details about the company’s technical progress, strategic decisions, capabilities, priorities, government engagements, and commercial relationships. Prosecutors said OpenAI executives met with government officials in that very room on or around September 28.

The Saudi royal connection

Alfozan communicated with a member of the Saudi royal family via WhatsApp throughout 2025 and 2026, and as recently as October 5, four days before his arrest, prosecutors said. The royal told Alfozan that an artificial intelligence initiative was being launched in Saudi Arabia and wanted him to join it. In May 2026, the royal wrote, “Saudi needs you more then [sic] the US!” to which Alfozan responded “100,” indicating agreement. The royal repeatedly tried to recruit Alfozan and asked when he planned to leave OpenAI. Alfozan said he would not leave until his stock vested. The filing does not say the royal directed Alfozan to install the recording device or steal information. Prosecutors did not identify the royal or say how Alfozan knew that person.

Alfozan is a venture partner at Raed Ventures, a Saudi venture capital firm. Prince Khalid bin Bader Al Saud, a member of the Saudi royal family, joined Raed Ventures as a venture partner in 2025. Prosecutors did not mention Prince Khalid by name or say the unidentified royal had ties to Raed Ventures.

Flight risk and family departure

The FBI arrested Alfozan on October 9. The next day, his wife, Lujain Alassaf, and their three-month-old son flew one-way business class from San Francisco to Doha, Qatar, on a ticket paid for by a member of the Saudi military. The family had originally been scheduled to fly together to Saudi Arabia on October 12. Alassaf told FBI agents her U.S. visa was expiring and that she and her son were permanently moving back to Saudi Arabia, and her husband intended to do the same. Prosecutors argued Alfozan is a flight risk, citing Saudi Arabia’s lack of an extradition treaty with the United States, the government’s limitless resources, and its ability to provide extraordinary travel assistance. They said he has the connections needed not only to flee but to build a new life in Saudi Arabia, and asked the court to order him detained pending trial.

Additional devices and evidence

After Alfozan’s arrest, his iPhone was found to contain photographs dated September 22 to 28 depicting at least one additional concealed device and what appear to be input/output panels on televisions and other electronic devices in various locations across OpenAI buildings, including another conference room where sensitive meetings frequently occurred. OpenAI found another recording device in a bag Alfozan inadvertently left behind in a printer room on October 5, the same day he was filmed on a hidden camera entering the conference room and appearing to look behind the television where the first device had been planted. His residence contained several electronic components similar to those in the customized devices installed in the conference room. His cellphone contained a deleted note from September with links to various recording devices, including products made by Seeed Studio. The filing states, “This is an ongoing investigation that may yet result in more serious charges.”

Background and next steps

Alfozan has spent about 15 years in the United States and is a legal permanent resident who has applied for naturalization. He worked at Meta and other tech companies and obtained a master’s degree from UC Berkeley in 2025. He was hired at OpenAI in July 2025 with an annual base salary of $325,000, later increased to $385,000, and received a new hire equity grant of $2.2 million in profit participating units. OpenAI terminated his employment after his arrest. A detention hearing is scheduled for Monday in federal court in San Francisco. If convicted, Alfozan faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The FBI investigation is ongoing. The Saudi embassy in Washington, D.C., has not responded to requests for comment since the arrest was announced on October 13.

Alfozan’s lawyer, William Pernik, asked that the defendant be released with home detention, GPS monitoring, a bond co-signed by others, and supported by the written undertaking of the Consulate General of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.