OpenAI Boardroom Spy Held Green Card While Pursuing U.S. Citizenship
Abdulrahman Alfozan, a Saudi engineer arrested for planting a recording device in OpenAI's boardroom, held a green card and was pursuing U.S. citizenship.
New details have emerged regarding the spying device uncovered at OpenAI offices. Abdulrahman Alfozan, the Saudi national arrested on suspicion of planting a recording device in an executive boardroom, held a green card and was in the process of applying for U.S. citizenship, Fox News reported Wednesday, citing a federal source.
According to the report, Alfozan's naturalization application was submitted last summer and was still pending at the time of his arrest, with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services having yet to conduct his interview. His permanent resident status was approved in 2020. Records show entries into the U.S. via San Francisco in 2018 and New York in 2019 and 2020, though his initial arrival route remains unclear.
OpenAI Discovery and FBI Investigation
OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, announced Tuesday that it discovered a sophisticated recording device hidden in one of its offices. The company stated it used its own AI models to analyze the device and trace its origin, identifying an employee who placed it days earlier. OpenAI handed the findings over to the FBI and fired the employee, noting evidence of plans to plant additional devices in sensitive areas.
"The device was discovered in a boardroom where highly confidential technological, commercial, and strategic discussions took place," federal prosecutors noted.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the 35-year-old suspect worked as an engineer at the company starting in July 2025. He was arrested on October 9. The recording device was found on September 30 hidden behind a television and wrapped in toilet paper. Prosecution documents reveal Alfozan researched executive schedules, while queries about building and encrypting recording devices were traced to a chatbot account linked to his wife.
Legal Proceedings and Status
Despite the serious allegations, OpenAI emphasized that there are currently no indications that the employee accessed or exfiltrated unauthorized model data, source code, or customer information. The FBI investigation remains ongoing.
Alfozan is charged with using or attempting to use a device to intercept communications. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The examined messages do not allege that he acted on behalf of the Saudi government.
