FBI arrests OpenAI engineer suspected of planting recording device in conference room

The FBI has arrested Abdulrahman Alfozan, an OpenAI engineer, on charges of attempting to steal trade secrets by planting a recording device in a high-security executive conference room. The device, wrapped in toilet paper and connected to a television, was discovered by OpenAI staff two days after it was allegedly placed on September 28. According to federal authorities, the device contained encrypted data, and subsequent CCTV footage captured Alfozan attempting to retrieve the hardware on October 5. The FBI alleges that Alfozan, who had been with the company for over a year, intended to leak confidential information regarding technical progress and commercial partnerships, posing a potential threat to national security. OpenAI discovered the breach internally and alerted law enforcement, leading to the arrest. The investigation highlights ongoing concerns regarding insider threats within major artificial intelligence firms as they handle increasingly sensitive and valuable proprietary information.