OpenAI employee arrested over hidden listening device, company says - Reuters

OpenAI disclosed that a “sophisticated” audio‑recording device was discovered hidden inside an executive conference room at its San Francisco headquarters. The company reported the finding to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, used its own AI models to trace the device to a specific employee, and terminated that employee’s employment.

The employee, identified as 35‑year‑old Abdulrahman Alfozan, a Saudi national who had been with OpenAI since July 2025, was arrested by FBI agents on October 9. He appeared in federal court the following Tuesday and was charged with using a listening device to intercept oral communications, according to a Justice Department statement.

OpenAI’s spokesperson said the investigation has not revealed any evidence that Alfozan accessed or exfiltrated model weights, source code, or customer data. The company expressed gratitude to the FBI and prosecutors for the swift arrest and indicated it will continue to cooperate with the ongoing investigation.

A criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California provides the legal basis for the charges but does not detail Alfozan’s motives or any further wrongdoing beyond the placement of the device.

The Justice Department framed the case as a matter of national security, noting that artificial‑intelligence firms are considered high‑priority targets for foreign intelligence services. Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton said the incident underscores why “winning the global superintelligence race is a national security prerogative.”