According to prosecutors, an unnamed member of the Saudi royal family repeatedly tried to recruit Alfozan for an AI initiative in Saudi Arabia.
A former OpenAI engineer accused of planting a listening device in the company’s San Francisco offices had frequent contact with a member of the Saudi royal family, US prosecutors have alleged, urging the court to keep him in custody over concerns he could flee the country.
Abdulrahman Alfozan, 35, was arrested on October 9 after allegedly concealing a microphone in a conference room at an OpenAI office. He faces up to five years in prison if convicted of intercepting oral communications.
In a court filing on Sunday, prosecutors said the case raised “national security” concerns. However, the complaint does not accuse Alfozan of spying for a foreign government, and his motive remains unclear.
“The government’s investigation is ongoing and may result in additional serious charges,” the filing said, adding that the matter is “a concern for the national security of the United States.”
‘Saudi Needs You More’
According to prosecutors, an unnamed member of the Saudi royal family repeatedly tried to recruit Alfozan for an artificial intelligence initiative in Saudi Arabia.
“Saudi (Arabia) needs you more then [sic] the US,” the person wrote in a WhatsApp exchange cited in the filing. Alfozan replied “100″, which prosecutors interpreted as agreement.
Alfozan had worked at OpenAI since 2025. The company said it discovered the device on September 30 and referred the matter to the FBI.
In a podcast interview last month, Alfozan spoke about his links to Saudi Arabia, saying he visited three or four times a year and advised or mentored local start-ups. He also described how meeting Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2016 had inspired him to gain experience at a leading technology company before returning those skills to Saudi Arabia.
