US prosecutors reveal OpenAI case defendant’s contacts with Saudi prince — CNBC
In San Francisco, US prosecutors said that Saudi Arabian citizen Abdulrahman Alfozan, accused of installing a device to record conversations in an OpenAI executive conference room, frequently communicated via WhatsApp with a member of the Saudi royal family throughout 2025–2026. As CNBC reports, the last contact took place on October 5 — four days before Alfozan’s arrest.
In the prosecution’s motion to detain the 35-year-old man without bail, it is stated that the interlocutor offered him to join an artificial intelligence initiative in Saudi Arabia and repeatedly asked when he planned to leave OpenAI. In May 2026, the member of the royal family wrote to Alfozan that Saudi Arabia needed him more than the United States did. Alfozan replied “100,” which prosecutors believe indicated his agreement.
Case circumstances
According to the prosecution, on September 28, 2026, Alfozan covertly connected an audio recording device to a USB port on the back panel of a television in an OpenAI conference room. Confidential technical, commercial and strategic information was discussed in that room, including the company’s research, technological progress, interactions with the government and commercial ties.
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Case materials also state that photos of other concealed devices and electronic equipment in OpenAI offices were found on Alfozan’s phone. The company found another device in a bag he had left in a printer room. At the same time, the court filing does not allege that the Saudi royal family member instructed Alfozan to install the recording device or steal information.
Positions of the parties
Prosecutors said Alfozan’s actions could pose a threat to US national security and insist that he remain in custody. They also pointed to a flight risk, citing resources and possible support from a foreign state that does not have an extradition treaty with the United States. After the arrest, Alfozan’s wife and their three-month-old son flew from San Francisco to Doha; according to prosecutors, the business-class flight was paid for by an unnamed representative of the Saudi military.
Attorney William Pernik is seeking Alfozan’s release under home detention and GPS monitoring. The defense lawyer stressed that citizenship is not evidence of a flight risk, and that the planned move to Saudi Arabia was related to family and immigration circumstances. Alfozan faces up to five years in prison if found guilty. OpenAI fired him after the arrest.
