FBI probes former OpenAI engineer for Saudi espionage

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is determining whether to file economic espionage charges against Abdulrahman Alfozan, a former OpenAI engineer arrested earlier this month. The agency is reviewing evidence that Alfozan may have taken confidential company data to provide to the Saudi government, even though he was not formally recruited to do so, according to a law enforcement official.

Alfozan, a 35-year-old Saudi national and U.S. permanent resident, is currently charged with unlawfully intercepting communications. The offense carries a maximum prison sentence of five years. Prosecutors are also considering trade secret theft charges, but the investigation may not lead to further prosecution. His next court appearance is set for November 6.

Investigators allege that Alfozan hid a small circuit board and microphone behind a television in a conference room used by OpenAI leadership. He allegedly returned to the room on October 5 to remove the device. On that same day, his last known text message exchange with an unidentified member of the Saudi royal family ended. OpenAI security staff discovered the equipment and alerted the FBI after he left.

Prosecutors say Alfozan maintained frequent WhatsApp contact with the royal family member in 2025 and 2026. The official reportedly tried to recruit him for a Saudi artificial intelligence project, writing, “Saudi needs you more then [sic] the US!” Alfozan replied with “100” but stated he would stay at OpenAI until his stock options vested.

Alfozan purchased one-way flights to Saudi Arabia via Istanbul for himself, his wife, and their three-month-old son. He was arrested three days before their scheduled departure. Prosecutors noted that his wife and son later traveled to Qatar on business-class tickets bought by a Saudi military official. Defense attorneys identified the official as the wife’s brother-in-law and argued that no military funds were used.

At an October 19 detention hearing, U.S. Magistrate Judge Alex G. Tse questioned a letter from the Saudi Consulate in Los Angeles offering to cover the entire bail bond. “Even if I set it at $10 million?” the judge asked. “I find that problematic. Seems like a blank check.” The judge denied bail, determining that Alfozan posed a flight risk.

Attorney William Pernik stated that his client has not received notice of additional charges. “We made it very clear that Mr. Alfozan will fight these charges and allegations in court, not in the press,” Pernik said. OpenAI is currently reviewing what information the recording device captured and assessing whether the incident constitutes corporate espionage or state-sponsored intelligence gathering.