Former OpenAI engineer ordered detained without bail after prosecutors allege Saudi government support

Abdulrahman Alfozan, 35, was ordered detained without bail by Judge Alex Tse after prosecutors alleged considerable Saudi government support for the former OpenAI engineer, who is charged with planting a recording device at the company’s headquarters.

The device was inserted into a USB port on the back of a television in an executive conference room at OpenAI’s San Francisco headquarters, and was allegedly planted on September 28. It was discovered on 30 September, covered with toilet paper. A camera was placed in the room, and on October 5, Alfozan was filmed entering and appearing to look behind the television where the audio recorder had been inserted.

Prosecutors said Alfozan was in frequent WhatsApp communication with a member of the Saudi royal family throughout 2025 and 2026. The royal told him an AI initiative was launching in Saudi Arabia and wanted him to join it. In a May 2026 exchange, the royal wrote, “Saudi needs you more then [sic] the US!” and Alfozan responded “100,” indicating agreement. The royal repeatedly 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 the device planting or information theft. Alfozan is a venture partner at Raed Ventures, a Saudi venture capital firm, and 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 identify the royal by name or tie that person to Raed Ventures.

Saudi consulate offered to pay bail

The Saudi Consulate in Los Angeles offered to pay the full bail for Alfozan, a proposal Judge Tse called problematic and likened to a blank check, suggesting the consulate would pay whatever amount the court required to secure his release. Alfozan’s lawyer, William Perchik, offered $1 million in assets to secure his release, along with home detention, GPS monitoring, a bond co-signed by others, and the written undertaking of the Saudi Consulate General. Tse denied bail, deeming Alfozan a significant flight risk.

After Alfozan was arrested by the FBI on October 9, his wife, Lujain Alassaf, and their son, three months old, flew from San Francisco to Doha, Qatar, on a one-way business class ticket paid for by a member of the Saudi military. The family had been scheduled to fly one-way to Saudi Arabia on October 12. Alassaf told the FBI her US visa was expiring and that she and her son were permanently moving back to Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has no extradition treaty with the United States.

National security concerns

The conference room is frequently used for discussions of highly confidential technical, commercial, and strategic information, including proprietary research and nonpublic information. OpenAI executives met with government officials in the same room during the days the device was believed to have been installed. Prosecutors said Alfozan’s conduct could pose a danger to the national security of the United States, and that the investigation is ongoing and may result in more serious charges. The charge is using or endeavoring to use a device to intercept oral communications, carrying a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Alfozan has spent about 15 years in the United States, is a legal permanent resident, and 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 a base salary of $325,000, later increased to $385,000, and received an equity grant of $2.2 million in profit-participating units. OpenAI terminated his contract after his arrest. Tse ordered him to return to court on November 6.

The Saudi embassy in Washington, D.C., has not responded to requests for comment since the arrest was announced on October 13.