OpenAI Engineer Charged After Recorder Found Behind TV

Recorder Discovery Leads to a Federal Charge

An OpenAI engineer faces a federal charge after a concealed audio recorder was found behind a television in an executive conference room. Prosecutors accuse Abdulrahman Alfozan, 35, of using or attempting to use a device to intercept spoken communications.

The FBI arrested Alfozan on October 9, and he appeared in federal court in San Francisco on October 13. The U.S. Attorney’s Office said a detention hearing was scheduled for October 19 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alex G. Tse.

Alfozan had worked at OpenAI since July 2025, according to the complaint summarized by prosecutors. The conference room was used for discussions involving proprietary research, product plans and commercial relationships, and he was not authorized to access it or participate in its meetings.

The charge is an allegation. Alfozan has not been convicted, and his attorney has disputed implications that the case establishes theft of trade secrets or work for a foreign government.

A Security Sweep Found the Device

OpenAI personnel discovered the recorder around September 30, prosecutors said. It was connected to a USB port behind a television and concealed with toilet paper, according to the complaint.

The company determined that it had been installed around September 28 and that its contents were encrypted. CNN reported that the discovery occurred during a regular security sweep and that the device included a mechanism for transferring data while avoiding monitoring.

OpenAI said it used its own models to investigate the device and determine where it had come from. The company referred the matter to the FBI and later terminated the employee, according to a statement carried by the Associated Press.

The company also said it had no indication that model weights, source code or customer data had been improperly accessed or removed. It said it would continue supporting the FBI’s investigation.

Cameras Recorded a Later Visit to the Room

The conference room did not contain a security camera when the recorder was installed, according to AP’s report. Cameras elsewhere in the offices nevertheless showed Alfozan near the room on multiple occasions, the complaint alleges.

The company subsequently placed a camera inside the room. Prosecutors said footage from October 5 showed Alfozan entering and apparently looking behind the television where the recorder had been connected.

Prosecutors also cited inquiries about building locations, meeting rooms, room capacities, calendars and executive locations. Those searches were made through a productivity tool, according to the complaint’s account.

On October 5, security personnel found another similar recording device in a bag Alfozan had left in a different room, prosecutors alleged. The bag also contained his wallet and identification.

CNN reported OpenAI’s position that there was evidence of plans to place additional devices in other areas of its offices. The room where the first device was found also hosted discussions of government engagements and external business opportunities, according to prosecutors.

Defense Distinguishes the Charge From Espionage

Defense attorney William Pernik told Business Insider that the allegations appeared inconsistent with his client’s character. He emphasized that the filed accusation concerns a federal recording statute, rather than a trade-secret or foreign-agent charge.

Pernik also cautioned against treating Alfozan’s birthplace as evidence of wrongdoing. The attorney said no evidence of those broader offenses had been shared with the defense at that point. CNN reported that Alfozan had previously worked at Meta before joining OpenAI.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office identified the charged statute as 18 U.S.C. 2511(1)(b). Its October 13 release said conviction could carry a maximum five-year prison sentence and a $250,000 fine, followed by up to three years of supervised release.

Those are statutory maximums, not a sentence already imposed. The next proceeding listed in the official release was the October 19 detention hearing, where the court was scheduled to consider Alfozan’s custody status.

References: Saudi National Arrested For Installing Surreptitious Audio Recording Device At OpenAI In San Francisco | OpenAI employee arrested after listening device found in SF conference room, officials say | CNN The Situation Room October 14 2026 transcript | A gifted engineer. A love for Saudi Arabia. A bugging device wrapped in toilet paper.