Prosecutors charge OpenAI engineer with allegedly bugging an executive conference room

Federal prosecutors said on October 13, 2026, that OpenAI engineer Abdulrahman Alfozan had been arrested and charged after allegedly hiding a recorder in an executive conference room. OpenAI said it fired the employee and used its own models to help identify who planted the device.

Alfozan, 35, remains in federal custody after appearing in court on October 13. He is charged with using or attempting to use a device to intercept oral communications.

A recorder behind the television

The complaint alleges that employees discovered the recorder on September 30 at OpenAI’s San Francisco offices. It was plugged into a USB port behind a television and concealed in toilet paper. OpenAI determined that it had been installed around September 28; its contents were encrypted.

Prosecutors describe the room as a regular setting for discussions involving confidential research, product plans, business strategy, government engagements and commercial relationships.

Alfozan had worked at OpenAI since July 2025. The complaint alleges surveillance footage showed him near the room repeatedly before discovery, despite having no authorization to enter or attend meetings there.

On October 5, he entered the room and appeared to look behind the television, prosecutors allege. That day, security personnel found an unattended bag containing his wallet, identification and a second similar recorder.

For us it is a matter of national security

U.S. Attorney Craig Missakian, in a statement quoted by The San Francisco Standard

The queries prosecutors cite

Before the alleged installation, Alfozan used a productivity tool to ask about buildings, meeting rooms, calendars and locations of leadership and partner meetings, according to the complaint.

Prosecutors also allege a chatbot account tied to his spouse, sharing identifiers with his account, submitted prompts September 24–30 about building and hiding a recorder, Wi-Fi connectivity, remote listening and encryption. On September 27 and 28, the account asked questions containing details specific to the recovered device, including its unique network identifier.

OpenAI’s models joined the investigation

OpenAI said investigators used its models to analyze forensic images of the recorder’s storage and assess changes in the underlying data. It described advanced encryption, audio monitoring and a data-transfer mechanism designed to evade monitoring.

OpenAI said it coordinated the timing of Alfozan’s firing with the FBI to avoid disrupting the investigation. It gradually restricted his access after September 30, then suspended physical and network access, placed him on leave and secured his equipment. He was fired Friday, the day of his arrest.

In its October 13 statement, OpenAI said it has no indication that the employee improperly accessed or removed model weights, source code or customer data. It referred the matter to the FBI, whose investigation remains ongoing.

A detention hearing is scheduled for October 19. If convicted, Alfozan faces up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.