FBI weighs espionage charges after OpenAI engineer allegedly hid microphone behind TV

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is currently determining whether to file economic espionage charges against Abdulrahman Alfozan, a former engineer at OpenAI. The decision follows reports that Alfozan concealed a recording device in a restricted executive conference room earlier this month. A law enforcement official told the Wall Street Journal that investigators are assessing if Alfozan sought to provide confidential information to the Saudi government, even though he was not formally recruited by a state agency.

Alfozan, 35, is a Saudi national and U.S. permanent resident. He faces one federal charge of unlawfully intercepting communications, a crime punishable by up to five years in prison. His next scheduled court appearance is set for November 6. His attorney, William Pernik, stated that the defense has received no formal indication that additional charges are being drafted. Pernik noted that Alfozan intends to contest all allegations in court rather than in the media.

Prosecutors have identified frequent WhatsApp exchanges between Alfozan and an unidentified member of the Saudi royal family during 2025 and 2026. The royal family member allegedly attempted to recruit Alfozan for a national artificial intelligence initiative, writing that Saudi Arabia needed him more than the United States. Alfozan replied with the number 100 but indicated he planned to stay at OpenAI until his stock options vested. The last known message exchange occurred on October 5, the day Alfozan allegedly returned to the conference room to retrieve the hidden device.

OpenAI security staff had already discovered and removed the circuit board and microphone, which were concealed behind a television. They subsequently notified the FBI. Alfozan purchased one-way tickets to Saudi Arabia via Istanbul for himself, his wife, and their three-month-old son. He was arrested three days before the planned departure. His wife and son later traveled to Qatar on business-class tickets purchased by a Saudi military official, whom defense attorneys identified as the wife's brother-in-law.

During an October 19 detention hearing, U.S. Magistrate Judge Alex G. Tse reviewed a letter from the Saudi Consulate in Los Angeles offering to cover Alfozan's entire bail bond. The judge expressed concern about the financial arrangement, calling it a blank check designed to ensure Alfozan's release. Alfozan was denied bail after the judge determined he posed a high risk of flight. OpenAI is now examining the data captured by the device to determine if the incident involved corporate espionage or state-sponsored intelligence gathering.