FBI Weighs Espionage Charge for 35-Year-Old Engineer Who Bugged OpenAI

A 35-year-old Saudi engineer faces a potential federal espionage charge after hiding a recording device in an OpenAI executive meeting room in San Francisco. The FBI is evaluating whether to add an economic espionage count to the existing federal charges against Abdulrahman Alfozan. A law enforcement official told The Wall Street Journal that investigators are examining if Alfozan stole company information for the Saudi government. The official noted that Alfozan may have acted without being formally recruited for the task.

Alfozan, a legal permanent resident of the United States, was arrested earlier this month. Prosecutors accuse him of wrapping a thumb-sized device with a microphone and camera in toilet paper. He allegedly plugged the device behind a television in a conference room primarily used by company executives. The current federal charges include a violation of a recording statute, which carries a maximum prison sentence of five years. His next court hearing is set for 6 November.

Federal prosecutors revealed in a court filing that Alfozan was in frequent WhatsApp communication with a member of the Saudi royal family throughout 2025 and 2026. The unnamed family member allegedly attempted to recruit Alfozan for a new AI initiative in Saudi Arabia. The royal family member sent the message, "Saudi needs you more than [sic] the US!" Alfozan reportedly replied with the number "100" but stated he would not leave until his OpenAI stock vested. Prosecutors identified 5 October as the date of their most recent communication, the same day Alfozan allegedly visited the conference room to check on the device.

OpenAI discovered the hidden equipment on 30 September during a security sweep. Company officials removed the device days before Alfozan’s last known check-in. The firm then contacted the FBI after finding the recording tool. OpenAI is currently assessing whether the incident represents corporate espionage or state-sponsored spying. A source familiar with the investigation stated that the probe may not result in additional charges. Neither the Saudi embassy in Washington nor OpenAI provided a comment on the case.

Alfozan studied computer science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and previously worked at Meta and other technology firms. He joined OpenAI in July 2025. A San Francisco federal judge ordered his detention without bail last week. Judge Alex Tse cited a risk that Alfozan would flee the country. The judge described the Saudi Consulate in Los Angeles’s offer to pay the full bail amount as problematic.