A former OpenAI engineer accused of hiding a recording device in a conference room at the company’s San Francisco headquarters had purchased a one-way ticket to Saudi Arabia shortly before federal agents arrested him, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Court records say Abdulrahman Alfozan, a 35-year-old Saudi citizen, had arranged travel for himself, his wife and another family member on Oct. 12—just days after his arrest.
Prosecutors pointed to those travel arrangements while asking a federal judge to keep the criminal complaint and arrest warrant sealed. They argued that revealing the allegations could have alerted Alfozan and increased the risk that he would leave the United States.
A man identified as Abdulrahman Alfozan, a Saudi national and former OpenAI engineer, looks behind a television where an audio-recording device was allegedly hidden in a conference room at OpenAI’s offices, in a still image taken from surveillance footage. (Department of Justice/Handout via Reuters)
“Disclosure of the specified documents might jeopardize the defendant’s arrest,” court filings said.
During an Arabic-language podcast last month, Alfozan spoke about meeting Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during the royal’s 2016 trip to Silicon Valley.
Alfozan said he had been weighing a return to Saudi Arabia. According to the New York Post, he recalled that the crown prince encouraged young Saudis working in Silicon Valley to gain experience at leading technology companies before taking their knowledge back home.
OpenAI’s offices are shown in San Francisco. (Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)
“You learn from the source and then, God willing, bring that experience and knowledge back to the homeland,” Alfozan reportedly said during the podcast.
The Justice Department said Alfozan was arrested Oct. 9 and charged with using—or attempting to use—a device to intercept oral communications.
Investigators said OpenAI found the encrypted device on Sept. 30. It had been connected to a USB port on the rear of a television in a conference room reserved for discussions involving highly confidential research, upcoming products and potential business deals.
The OpenAI logo appears on a smartphone resting on a reflective surface, with promotional artwork for Dots projected across it in Creteil, France, on Oct. 1, 2026. OpenAI was beginning to introduce Dots, a new ChatGPT system featuring autonomous AI agents. (Samuel Boivin/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Authorities allege the device had been placed there two days before it was discovered and concealed inside toilet paper. OpenAI reportedly traced it to Alfozan, while security video showed him visiting the area around the conference room several times.
Prosecutors also said a chatbot linked to Alfozan’s wife had been used to ask questions about installing and concealing audio-recording equipment.
News Outlet has contacted Alfozan’s lawyer for comment.
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