Former OpenAI engineer booked flight to Saudi Arabia before arrest in bugging case

A former OpenAI engineer accused of planting a recording device at the company’s San Francisco office booked one-way tickets to Saudi Arabia for himself and two family members before his arrest, according to a newly unsealed US court filing.

Abdulrahman Alfozan, his wife and another family member were scheduled to fly from San Francisco via Istanbul on Oct. 12, prosecutors said.

The FBI arrested Alfozan, a 35-year-old Saudi national and US permanent resident, three days before the planned departure.

Prosecutors disclosed the bookings in an Oct. 8 motion requesting that the criminal complaint, arrest warrant and related documents remain sealed until his arrest.

“The defendant has the means – and will have an incentive – to flee the United States sooner if he learns about this case before he is arrested,” Justice Department lawyers wrote.

Alfozan is charged with using or attempting to use a device to intercept oral communications. He faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted.

He had worked as an OpenAI engineer since July 2025 and was dismissed on the day of his arrest, the Justice Department said.

According to the complaint, OpenAI personnel discovered an audio recorder on Sept. 30, wrapped in toilet paper and plugged into a USB port behind a television in an executive conference room. Its stored files appeared to be encrypted.

The conference room was frequently used for confidential discussions about research, product plans, business opportunities, government engagements and company strategy.

Security footage allegedly showed Alfozan near the room on several occasions despite not being authorized to attend meetings there. Footage from Oct. 5 also appeared to show him looking behind the television, according to the complaint.

Prosecutors alleged that he used an internal productivity tool to search for building addresses, conference-room capacities, meeting calendars and locations used by executives and external partners.

A chatbot account associated with his wife also allegedly submitted prompts about building, concealing and remotely accessing an audio recorder, including continuous recording, live listening, encrypted storage and Wi-Fi connectivity.

The complaint does not accuse Alfozan’s wife of committing an offense or allege that she personally submitted the prompts.

OpenAI security personnel later found a similar recorder in a bag containing Alfozan’s wallet and identification, prosecutors said.

The Justice Department has not publicly identified a motive or alleged that he acted for the Saudi government or another foreign entity. He has not been charged with espionage or stealing trade secrets.

Alfozan remains in federal custody, with a detention hearing scheduled for Oct. 19, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California.