# OpenAI engineer arrested over secret recording device

> A Saudi national working at OpenAI was charged with planting a hidden recorder in a conference room after asking AI chatbots how to build one.
- Title: OpenAI engineer arrested over secret recording device
- Summary: A Saudi national working at OpenAI was charged with planting a hidden recorder in a conference room after asking AI chatbots how to build one. Abdulrahman…
- Keywords: abdulrahman alfozan, openai, fbi, recording device, espionage, technology security, news, world, engineer, arrested, secret, recording
- Source: BBC News — https://bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm04054ykqqqo
- Published: 2026-10-14T15:54:04.731+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: abdulrahman alfozan, openai, fbi, recording device, espionage, technology security, news, world
## Engineer charged with planting recorder
Abdulrahman Alfozan, a thirty five year old Saudi national employed by OpenAI, was arrested by the FBI and charged with using or attempting to use a device to intercept oral communications.
## He asked chatbots how to spy
Between August seventeen and September sixteen, Alfozan asked a productivity AI assistant about meeting rooms and their availability. In September, he used a chatbot to ask how to build and install a recording device.
## Device found wrapped in toilet paper
On September thirty, OpenAI staff discovered a surreptitious audio recording device behind a television wrapped in toilet paper. The room held meetings discussing highly confidential technical, commercial and strategic information.
## Second device found in his bag
On October five, Alfozan was filmed looking behind the television where the device had been inserted.Later that day, security found another recording device in an unattended bag he left, along with his wallet and ID.
## No evidence of data theft
OpenAI said it used its own AI models to understand the device. The company stated it had no indications Alfozan inappropriately accessed or exfiltrated model weights, source code, or customer data.

> At this time, we have no indications of this individual inappropriately accessing or exfiltrating model weights, source code, or customer data.
## Faces five years in prison if convicted
Alfozan was arrested on October nine and his OpenAI contract was terminated.A detention hearing is scheduled for October nineteen.
## Key takeaway

Abdulrahman Alfozan, a thirty five year old OpenAI engineer, was arrested by the FBI and charged with attempting to intercept oral communications after a recording device wrapped in toilet paper was found behind a television in a company meeting room.