OpenAI engineer accused of planting office bug had Saudi royal family contact before preparing to leave U.S.

Alleged conference room device

Prosecutors say Alfozan allegedly placed a sophisticated listening device in an executive conference room at OpenAI. They claim he altered it to stop data transferring to the television where it was inserted and encrypted files on its microSD card.

Investigators say OpenAI executives met with government officials in that room during the period surrounding the device’s installation. The filing states prosecutors believe the alleged conduct could endanger U.S. national security.

Research and other locations

The filing also includes photographs of other possible surveillance locations and internal searches about meetings between OpenAI and Saudi government officials. Prosecutors say notes suggest Alfozan intended to retrieve the devices before leaving the company.

Saudi contact and planned departure

Prosecutors allege Alfozan communicated frequently on WhatsApp with a member of the Saudi royal family during 2025 and 2026, including as recently as October 5, 2026. The member wrote, “Saudi needs you more than [sic] the US!” as part of an effort to recruit him, according to the filing. Alfozan reportedly agreed but said he would wait until his stock vested.

Prosecutors say Alfozan planned to leave for Riyadh when authorities arrested him. His wife and three-month-old son had left the country the previous day on business-class tickets allegedly purchased by a Saudi military official. He had also been scheduled to begin two months of parental leave in October 2026.

Pay and detention request

Alfozan, a Saudi national, received an annual salary of $385,000 at OpenAI and a $2.2 million equity grant when he joined in July 2025, the filing says. The government is seeking his detention before trial, arguing that his wealth, connections and apparent assistance from Saudi officials increase the risk that he will flee.