OpenAI Employee Booked One-Way Ticket to Saudi Arabia Before Arrest for Secret Recording Device

Flight Bookings

Federal prosecutors revealed that 35-year-old Abdulrahman Alfozan booked a one-way ticket from San Francisco to Saudi Arabia via Istanbul for October 12, travelling with his wife and a third family member. Prosecutors used this upcoming trip in an October 8 filing to request a sealed arrest warrant, arguing Alfozan had the means and incentive to flee. A judge granted the request, and Alfozan was arrested on October 9.

Background and Charges

Alfozan worked as an engineering lead at OpenAI starting in July 2025 and is also a venture partner at Raed Ventures, a Saudi venture capital firm that lists a member of the Saudi ruling royal family, Prince Khalid Bin Bader Al Saud, as a fellow partner. OpenAI stated it terminated Alfozan this month. He is charged in U.S. District Court in San Francisco with one count of using or attempting to use an electronic device to intercept oral communications. He is not charged with corporate espionage or stealing trade secrets and has been detained since his arrest.

Context

Federal cases involving sensitive technology companies often draw intense scrutiny regarding national security and insider threats. Legal proceedings will determine the next steps as the detention hearing approaches.