Toilet paper and secret recorders: What we know about the arrest of the Saudi OpenAI engineer

ByLaura Cress

Technology reporter

A Saudi national who worked for OpenAI appeared in court this week for allegedly planting a secret recording device behind a TV in one of the tech giant's meeting rooms.

Abdulrahman Alfozan, a 35-year-old engineer, was arrested by the FBI and charged with using or attempting to use a device "to intercept oral communications".

As yet, it is not clear what he was planning to do with the recordings.

But, here's we do know so far.

Help from a chatbot

The engineer asked AI to help him listen in to discussions about AI, according to an official complaint (the document filed in court).

Between 17 August and 16 September, Alfozan had reportedly asked a productivity AI assistant several questions about meeting rooms and their availability.

Some detailed in the complaint include "how about external partners, where would they usually meet with OpenAI at" and "can you list today's meeting in this room".

The complaint also claimed that in September, Alfozan used a chatbot associated with his spouse to ask how to build and install a recording device and how to access it remotely.

Alfozan had worked at the firm for around a year before he allegedly made his attempt to plant a recorder.

The room where the device was found was regularly used to hold meetings to discuss "highly confidential technical, commercial and strategic information" as well as OpenAI's "government engagements and commercial relationships", the complaint stated.

Alfozan had no authority to access or be involved with meetings in the room, the complaint states.

But CCTV footage recorded him near the conference room on eight separate occasions in September.

Hiding in plain toilet paper

On 30 September, OpenAI staff discovered a "surreptitious audio recording device" behind a television - which had been wrapped in toilet paper.

The complaint also stated that same day he allegedly left an unattended bag in a different room.

Who is Abdulrahman Alfozan?

The FBI investigation is ongoing.