The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Oct. 14 that an OpenAI engineer was arrested on charges of hiding an eavesdropping device in a company meeting room.

The U.S. Justice Department charged Abdulrahman Alfozan (압둘라만 알포잔), 35, a member of OpenAI's product team, with using or attempting to use a device to intercept conversations, the report said. Alfozan, a Saudi national, joined OpenAI in July 2025.

Prosecutors allege that in late September Alfozan wrapped a thumb-sized circuit board and a microphone in toilet paper and plugged it into a USB port behind a wall-mounted TV in a meeting room.

Only executives and secretaries can book the meeting room. Executive meetings, government and business partner briefings, and top-secret research and product discussions were mainly held there, WSJ reported.

Prosecutors said Alfozan began asking an internal AI tool about building, meeting-room and schedule information from late summer, and in mid-September repeatedly entered questions such as "Where do outside partners usually meet?" CCTV footage also showed him, despite lacking access permission, going near the meeting room at least 10 times in September alone. An FBI agent stated that Alfozan's spouse appeared to have assisted in the crime.

OpenAI found the device during a security inspection two days after it was installed. The company removed it, closed the meeting room and notified the FBI. Investigators installed a camera in the room and obtained footage last Monday showing Alfozan checking behind the TV, WSJ reported.

OpenAI said it coordinated the timing of the dismissal and arrest with the FBI to avoid hindering the investigation. Alfozan was arrested last Friday.

Alfozan's lawyer said the allegations "appear to be out of character for him" and that the charges involve violating a federal recording law, not stealing trade secrets or acting as a foreign agent.