Ex-OpenAI employee accused of planting device appears to have Saudi backing, court filing shows

Abdulrahman Alfozan, a 35-year-old former OpenAI employee, has appeared in court following allegations that he planted an unauthorized electronic device. According to U.S. prosecutors, court filings indicate that the defendant received backing from the Saudi government.

The prosecution alleges that Alfozan maintained frequent communication with an unnamed member of the Saudi royal family. Additionally, investigators claim that a member of the Saudi military funded a one-way plane ticket for the defendant's wife and son to return to Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi government did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the allegations presented in the court filings.