The FBI was examining a possible espionage case involving a Saudi engineer accused of placing a listening device in a restricted OpenAI conference room
The FBI is considering whether to add an economic espionage charge against former OpenAI engineer Abdulrahman Alfozan, who faces allegations of bugging a restricted conference room, a law-enforcement official told The Wall Street Journal. The official said investigators are examining whether Alfozan stole OpenAI information to offer it to the Saudi government, whether or not he was recruited.
More context
Federal investigators are weighing an economic espionage charge against Abdulrahman Alfozan, a former OpenAI engineer who faces wiretapping allegations over a bugged restricted conference room at the company’s offices. A law-enforcement official told The Wall Street Journal that the investigation is focused on whether Alfozan took information from OpenAI to offer it to the Saudi government, even if he had not been recruited to do so. The articles do not say that an economic espionage charge has been filed.
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Reporting
- Hindustan Times — FBI Explores Espionage Case Against Saudi OpenAI Suspect | World News
- The Wall Street Journal — Exclusive | FBI Explores Espionage Case Against Saudi OpenAI Suspect - WSJ
- ibtimes.sg — OpenAI Spy Probe Deepens as FBI Examines Possible Saudi Spying Case
Verifier’s note
The WSJ reports that the FBI is considering an economic espionage charge against the former OpenAI engineer over alleged theft of company information for Saudi Arabia. The other results describe that same claim, and the reports are dated within the past day.