FBI Arrests Saudi OpenAI Employee Over Hidden Recording Device in Executive Conference Room
Abdulrahman Alfozan, 35, was arrested after OpenAI found a sophisticated recording device hidden in its executive conference room, according to a CNBC report cited by Slashdot. OpenAI terminated him and said it has no indications of access to model weights, source code, or customer data.
FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement that Alfozan “allegedly concealed a covert recording device inside his employer's executive conference room to secretly capture sensitive communications about the company's super intelligence technology.” OpenAI said in a post that an employee planted the device a few days before it was found and that the FBI “moved quickly to make an arrest.” The employee was terminated, according to the report.
OpenAI also said in the post: “At this time, we have no indications of this individual inappropriately accessing or exfiltrating model weights, source code, or customer data.” The company added: “We take protecting our technology, data and people seriously, and as a matter of national importance.”
Alfozan is listed as a partner at Raed Ventures, a venture capital firm that focuses on the Middle East and North Africa, according to its website. The firm announced on Feb. 6, 2025, that H.H. Prince Khalid Bin Bader Al Saud, a member of the Saudi royal family, had joined the firm as a venture partner. Alfozan was announced as a venture partner two days later, according to the report.
The Raed Ventures announcement for Alfozan lists Meta, Microsoft and SAP as previous roles and said he studied computer science and engineering at MIT, the report said.
The report did not specify the exact date the recording device was discovered or the charges Alfozan may face. The Justice Department identified Alfozan as a national of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Editor's Summary The FBI arrested Abdulrahman Alfozan, a 35-year-old Saudi national and OpenAI employee, after a hidden recording device was found in the company's executive conference room. OpenAI terminated the employee and said it had no indications that model weights, source code, or customer data were improperly accessed or exfiltrated. FBI Director Kash Patel said Alfozan allegedly used the device to secretly capture sensitive communications about OpenAI's super intelligence technology.