An OpenAI employee, the artificial intelligence company that created ChatGPT, was arrested and taken into federal custody after federal authorities found a "surreptitious audio recording device" inside one of the company's executive conference rooms, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of California.
The employee, Abdulrahman Alfozan, 35, a national of Saudi Arabia, was arrested on Oct. 9 and has been federally charged with using or endeavoring to use an electronic, mechanical, or other device to intercept oral communications.
Alfozan has been employed with the company since 2025, according to the announcement. His LinkedIn notes that he was hired as an "Engineering Lead," and previously worked at Nash as a "Founding Engineer"
and at Meta as a "Senior Systems Engineer."
According to the complaint, OpenAI leadership learned about the recording device on Sept. 30, after finding it inserted into one of the executive conference room's T.V.s. The device was plugged into the TV's USB port, concealed in toilet paper, and encrypted.
Further investigation found that security footage captured Alfozan walking near the executive conference room multiple times before the device was discovered, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of California. OpenAI leadership believes that the device was planted on Sept. 28.
Notably, the complaint notes that the conference room where the device was discovered "frequently involved discussions of highly confidential technical, commercial, and strategic information," including proprietary research, product plans, government engagements, and commercial relationships.
The company confirmed the incident in a social media post and said it used its own AI models to identify the employee who planted the device.
"At this time, we have no indications of this individual inappropriately accessing or exfiltrating model weights, source code, or customer data. The employee was terminated," the statement reads.
"We take protecting our technology, data, and people seriously, and as a matter of national importance. Our security program is designed to protect against a wide range of threat actors, from insider risks to cybercriminals to nation states, and this case is an example of how AI can help address these sophisticated security threats."
We discovered a sophisticated recording device that was hidden inside one of our offices. We used our models to understand the device and where it had come from, identifying that a specific employee had planted it a few days earlier. We referred the matter to the FBI, and we’re…
— OpenAI Newsroom (@OpenAINewsroom) October 13, 2026
After discovering the device, investigators were able to determine that Alfozan used a "productivity tool" to learn about OpenAI’s "meeting rooms, meeting-room capacities and calendars, and locations of “leadership and exec” and external partner meetings," prior to Sept. 28.
Additionally, they learned that an AI chatbot account associated with his spouse had also made several inquires about “build[ing] a continuous audio recorder,” “customiz[ing] Wi-Fi . . . connectivity,” “improv[ing] audio and live listening,” and “encrypt[ing] the SD card,” according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of California.
After finding the device, OpenAI personnel installed a security camera behind the TV where the recording device was found, and on Monday, Oct. 5, it captured Alfozan entering the executive conference room and looking behind the TV for the device.
Later that day, OpenAI security personnel found an open bag and Alfozan’s unattended wallet, ID, and another recording device similar to the one found inside the room days earlier, according to the complaint.
However, Alfozan was not arrested until Friday, Oct. 8, after OpenAI leadership referred the matter to the FBI, which has begun an investigation.
"Protecting American (Super Intelligence) innovation is essential to safeguarding our nation’s economic strength and national security, and the FBI views that mission as one of our highest counterintelligence priorities," FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement about the arrest.
U.S. Attorney Craig Missakian noted that as Silicon Valley continues to lead the world in artificial intelligence development, this type of action becomes "a matter of national security" as others attempt to "steal our technology."
The FBI has not released a potential motive behind Alfozan's actions or whether Saudi Arabia had any role in this situation.
If Alfozan is convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, followed by 3 years of supervised release. He is expected to make his initial appearance in federal court Tuesday, Oct. 13.
Noe Padilla is a Northern California Reporter for USA Today. Contact him at npadilla@usatodayco.com, follow him on X @1NoePadilla or on Bluesky @noepadilla.bsky.social. Sign up for the TODAY Californian newsletter or follow us on Facebook at TODAY Californian.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: OpenAI employee arrested after a recording device found in office
