Former OpenAI engineer charged for wiretapping company boardroom

Federal authorities have charged Abdulrahman Alfozan, a 35-year-old Saudi national and former OpenAI engineer, with wiretapping following the discovery of a clandestine recording device at the company's California offices. Employees discovered the device, which was wrapped in toilet paper and attached to a USB port on the back of a television, in a boardroom on September 30, 2026. The company utilized its own artificial intelligence models to analyze the encrypted hardware, eventually identifying Alfozan as the perpetrator.

Alfozan, who had been employed at the firm since July 2025, was arrested on October 9. While the case is currently being treated as a matter of national security, officials have formally charged him with wiretapping rather than espionage. FBI Director Kash Patel noted that the device was intended to intercept sensitive information regarding the company's AI products. Alfozan allegedly researched methods for assembling and concealing the equipment using generative AI tools prior to the incident.

Following an initial court appearance in San Francisco, Alfozan remains in custody. He faces up to five years in prison if convicted. His next court hearing is scheduled for October 19. The case has drawn attention from high-level officials, including Jay Clayton, who highlighted the incident as evidence of the necessity of securing national interests in the ongoing global race for AI dominance.