Explainer
Why is an ex-OpenAI engineer staying in jail until trial?
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Abdulrahman Alfozan is accused of hiding a recording device in an OpenAI executive conference room. Prosecutors sought to keep him in custody as a flight risk, and a judge in San Francisco agreed. Prosecutors allege the Saudi government paid for his one-way ticket to Riyadh, and a Saudi military member paid for his wife and son to fly to Doha.
San Francisco, Riyadh, and Doha
The Saudi consulate offered to cover the full bail bond. Judge Alex Tse called that problematic. There is a real threat here that once he leaves the case is over.
“There is a real threat here that once he leaves the case is over.”
If convicted, he faces up to 5 years in prison.
5
Defence lawyer William Pernik rejects any suggestion that his client spied for Saudi Arabia, saying there is no evidence of covert activity. This was an open room where anybody could work in.
“This was an open room where anybody could work in.”
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Ex-OpenAI engineer accused of bugging conference room stays in custody over Saudi tiesRead the article
Based on reports by
- Ars TechnicaAccused OpenAI spy had folder called "Saudi Gov Docs," FBI says
- WiredOpenAI Engineer Accused of Spying on Executives Ordered to Remain in Custody
- Al Jazeera OnlineEx-OpenAI employee accused of planting device has Saudi backing: Prosecutor
- The New York TimesSaudis Aided Family of Engineer Accused of Bugging OpenAI, Prosecutors Say
- BBCFormer OpenAI employee in recording device case “had Saudi support”
- Bloomberg BusinessDOJ Calls for Detaining OpenAI Engineer, Citing Saudi Ties