Abstract:
U.S. prosecutors disclosed in a blockbuster court document on Sunday that the Saudi suspect accused of placing a recording device in the OpenAI executive conference room in San Francisco continued to communicate frequently with a member of the Saudi royal family through WhatsApp between 2025 and 2026.
The San Francisco Federal Prosecutor's Office submitted this application for no bail and requesting the detention of the suspect, stating that the defendant Abdulrahman Alfozan was still in contact with the Saudi royal family member as late as October 5, four days before his arrest.
Prosecutors did not disclose the identity of the royal member in the document, nor did they explain how Alfzan, who was an OpenAI engineer at the time, met the other person.
The prosecutor’s document stated: “The royal family member informed the defendant that Saudi Arabia was launching an artificial intelligence plan and hoped that the defendant would join.” “In May 2026, the other party told the defendant: ‘Saudi Arabia needs you more than the United States!’ The defendant replied ‘completely agree’, indicating his agreement.” “This person has repeatedly agreed. Trying to recruit the defendant, he asked him when he planned to leave OpenAI. At that time, the defendant said that he would not leave until the equity he held was exercised. "
The document did not confirm that the Saudi royal family member instructed Alfzan to install recording equipment in OpenAI and steal the AI company's information.
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