FBI Arrests OpenAI Engineer for Planting Recording Device Before Saudi Arabia Flight
Legal·4 articles across 3 outlets·↩ Updated
Story updated Rewritten when the story materially grows; the wire is checked every 15 minutesAbout this data
Abdulrahman Alfozan, an OpenAI engineer, was arrested by the FBI for allegedly using a hidden recording device in a conference room at the company's San Francisco office. He had a one-way ticket to Saudi Arabia booked for October 12, raising concerns about his potential flight risk.
The FBI's investigation revealed that Alfozan used his wife's ChatGPT account to learn how to plant the recording device, which was discovered hidden in toilet paper. Federal prosecutors had previously requested to seal the case due to fears he might flee the U.S.
OpenAIAbdulrahman Alfozan
Sources
Every quote below is verbatim from the article it is attributed to.
SourceReports the news
“The OpenAI employee who was arrested and charged with allegedly using a hidden recording device in one of the ChatGPT maker’s San Francisco offices had a one-way ticket to Saudi Arabia booked for Oct. 12, according to a court filing.”
Bloomberg — Arrested OpenAI Engineer Booked a One-Way Ticket to Saudi Arabia“The Tuesday incident comes as the ChatGPT-maker, along with competitors, faces heightened scrutiny over its safety practices.”
CNBC — FBI arrests Saudi OpenAI employee who allegedly planted recording device in conference room“The FBI says Abdulrahman Alfozan, his wife, and a third unnamed family member also had one-way tickets to Saudi Arabia via Istanbul.”
Fortune — FBI says an OpenAI engineer used his wife’s ChatGPT account to figure out how to plant a secret recording device at the office
SupportCorroborates it
“Federal prosecutors previously asked a judge to seal their case against Abdulrahman Alfozan due to fears he might flee the US.”
business insider — Ex-OpenAI employee accused of planting a recording device booked a one-way ticket to Saudi Arabia“Abdulrahman Alfozan had worked for the AI giant for more than a year before he was arrested by the FBI.”
bbc — Toilet paper and secret recorders: What we know about the arrest of the Saudi OpenAI engineer“An engineer at OpenAI has been charged with secretly installing a recording device inside a conference room in what officials said Tuesday was an effort to capture sensitive conversations about the”
fast company — FBI arrests and investigates this OpenAI engineer over a ‘sophisticated listening device’“Financial Times: Profile of Abdulrahman Alfozan, a Saudi national the FBI arrested after OpenAI found a recording device; he has deep ties to Saudi officials and tech investors — Arrest of”
techmeme — Profile of Abdulrahman Alfozan, a Saudi national the FBI arrested after OpenAI found a recording device; he has deep ties to Saudi officials and tech investors (Financial Times)“A Saudi national working at OpenAI allegedly hid an encrypted audio recorder behind a TV in an executive meeting room.”
decrypt — OpenAI Engineer Arrested for Bugging Office, Company Says AI Caught Him“The recording device the FBI says was used to bug an OpenAI conference room isn't exactly state-of-the-art.”
business insider — This is the $24 gizmo the FBI says was used to bug OpenAI's offices“OpenAI said a "sophisticated recording device" was found in one of its offices and that the company's own models identified the person who planted it.”
business insider — OpenAI says it found a 'hidden' recording device planted in its office“Recording device hidden in toilet paper found in top-secret OpenAI meeting room”
Ars Technica — Recording device hidden in toilet paper found in top-secret OpenAI meeting room“OpenAI said that the employee had placed a device built to evade detection and that he had planned to secretly record meetings in other sensitive spaces.”
ny times tech — F.B.I. Arrests OpenAI Employee Accused of Planting Bug in Office“Prosecutors say the device, wrapped in toilet paper, was found inserted in a USB port on the back of a TV in an executive conference room.”
bbc — Saudi employee charged with planting recording device in OpenAI office
Earlier versions
- Oct 13, 11:17 PM — FBI Arrests OpenAI Employee Abdulrahman Alfozan for Planting Recording Device (10/9)
- Oct 14, 2:10 AM — FBI Arrests OpenAI Employee for Allegedly Planting Recording Device in Conference Room (8/8)
- Oct 14, 1:33 AM — FBI Arrests OpenAI Employee Abdurahman Alfozan for Planting Recording Device (6/6)
- Oct 14, 2:40 PM — OpenAI Employee Arrested for Planting Hidden Recording Device in Office (7/7)
- Oct 14, 7:34 PM — OpenAI Employee Arrested for Planting Recording Device in Conference Room (7/6)