Former OpenAI engineer accused of planting recording device denied release

A federal judge in San Francisco denied release on October 19 to former OpenAI engineer Abdulrahman Alfozan. The 35-year-old faces accusations that he installed a concealed audio recorder in an executive meeting room..

Federal authorities arrested Alfozan on October 9. Prosecutors allege that OpenAI employees discovered the device on September 30, connected behind a television, and later found a similar recorder in his bag. The charge concerns the alleged interception or attempted interception of spoken communications..

Prosecutors argued that Alfozan posed a flight risk, citing planned travel and connections in Saudi Arabia. His lawyer sought release with restrictions, including location monitoring and surrender of his passport, and said the planned trip involved family and immigration matters. Those competing arguments concerned detention while the case proceeds..

OpenAI said it alerted the FBI after finding the recorder and dismissed the employee. Prosecutors say the room hosted sensitive discussions involving company research and business plans. The allegations remain unproven, and Alfozan faces a prison term of up to five years if convicted.,.