US judge orders Saudi engineer accused of spying on "OpenAI" to remain in custody

A US federal judge on Monday ordered Abdulrahman Al-Fawzan, a former Saudi employee of OpenAI, to remain in custody without bail due to flight risk. Authorities accuse Al-Fawzan (35) of planting a listening device in the company's San Francisco office, and his correspondence with a member of the royal family indicates security concerns.

A US federal judge on Monday ordered Abdulrahman Al-Fawzan, a former Saudi employee of OpenAI, to remain in custody without bail, deeming him a flight risk. US authorities accuse Al-Fawzan (35) of planting a listening device in one of the offices of the company that developed ChatGPT in San Francisco. Judge Alex Tse of a San Francisco court cited a significant risk of failure to appear, rejecting the request of Al-Fawzan's lawyer for his release. The US prosecution had noted repeated correspondence between the Saudi engineer and a member of the Saudi royal family, in an effort to keep him detained. Al-Fawzan, who has worked at the company since 2025, does not face espionage charges but is charged with "interception of communications," which carries a penalty of up to five years in prison. However, the US Director of National Intelligence and the FBI director considered the case to involve national security, and the prosecution indicated in a memo published late Sunday-Monday that the investigation could lead to additional serious charges. The prosecution viewed his behavior as a national security concern for the United States and suggested a possible desire for enrichment through enhancing his career prospects or assisting a foreign government.