FBI Arrests OpenAI Engineer Who Planted Hidden Recording Device in Executive Conference Room

The FBI arrested an OpenAI engineer on October 9 after the company discovered a hidden audio recording device in one of its executive conference rooms, the Department of Justice announced on October 13. Abdulrahman Alfozan, 35, a Saudi national, had worked at OpenAI as an engineer since July 2025.

OpenAI employees found the device on September 30 plugged into a USB port on the back of a television inside a conference room used for discussions about research, product plans, and other confidential matters. Investigators determined it had been concealed inside toilet paper and installed roughly two days before discovery. On October 5, security camera footage reportedly showed Alfozan inspecting behind the television in the same room. That same day, a second similar recording device was found in his unattended bag.

The DOJ charged Alfozan with attempting to use an electronic, mechanical, or other device to intercept oral communications — a federal charge carrying a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.

OpenAI said it used its own AI models to identify the individual responsible and trace the origins of the device, and that it alerted the FBI after confirming the discovery. The company said it found no evidence that Alfozan had accessed or exfiltrated model weights, source code, or customer data. It also said evidence indicated he intended to plant additional devices in other sensitive areas of its offices.

FBI Director Kash Patel said Alfozan allegedly targeted the company's executive conference room to capture sensitive communications about its super intelligence technology. Court documents show Alfozan also used an internal AI productivity agent to research building addresses, meeting room locations, and executive scheduling for roughly a month through mid-September. A chatbot account linked to his spouse received prompts about building and testing recording devices.

Alfozan's attorney called for caution and said his client's nationality should not be used to politicize the case. His detention hearing is scheduled for October 19 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. No formal espionage charges have been filed.