FBI Weighs 5-Year Espionage Charge for OpenAI Suspect

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is reviewing whether to add an economic espionage charge to the case against Abdulrahman Alfozan, a 35-year-old Saudi national accused of bugging an OpenAI office. A law enforcement official told The Wall Street Journal that the probe examines whether the former OpenAI engineer stole corporate information to share with the Saudi government. This potential charge would follow his current federal charges, which stem from his arrest earlier this month.

Alfozan is accused of concealing a thumb-sized device containing a microphone and camera. He allegedly wrapped the gadget in toilet paper and plugged it behind a television in a San Francisco conference room used primarily by executives. The current charge involves a violation of a federal recording statute. If convicted on that count, he faces a maximum prison sentence of five years. His next court hearing is scheduled for November 6.

Court filings reveal that Alfozan maintained frequent WhatsApp contact with an unnamed member of the Saudi royal family during 2025 and 2026. The filing states that this family member tried to recruit Alfozan for a new AI initiative in Saudi Arabia. In one message cited by prosecutors, the royal relative wrote, "Saudi needs you more than [sic] the US!" Alfozan replied with the number 100 but said he would wait for his OpenAI stock to vest before leaving.

OpenAI is currently determining if the incident constitutes corporate espionage or state-sponsored spying, according to a source familiar with the investigation. The company removed the device on September 30 during a security sweep. OpenAI contacted the FBI after discovering the hidden hardware. The law enforcement official noted that the investigation may not result in further charges beyond those already filed.

Alfozan, a legal permanent resident of the United States, studied computer science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He previously worked at Meta and other tech firms before joining OpenAI in July 2025. Last week, Judge Alex Tse ordered Alfozan detained without bail due to flight risks. The judge described the Saudi Consulate in Los Angeles offer to pay the full bail amount as problematic.

The Saudi embassy in Washington and OpenAI did not provide comments on the case. Prosecutors stated that the most recent communication between Alfozan and the royal family member occurred on October 5. That is the same day Alfozan allegedly visited the conference room to check on his recording device.