Abdulrahman Alfozan of OpenAI seeks bail after recording device arrest
Abdulrahman Alfozan, an engineer at OpenAI, is asking for bail after being arrested for allegedly planting a recording device in an executive meeting room.
He was taken into custody on October 9, 2026.
Alfozan says his one-way ticket to Saudi Arabia, bought before the investigation, wasn't about running away.
His lawyers add that booking such tickets is just something he's always done and shouldn't be seen as suspicious.
Alfozan's tickets and firing raise concerns
Prosecutors argue that Alfozan's travel plans show he might try to leave the country, since he and his family had one-way tickets from San Francisco to Saudi Arabia via Istanbul.
But his legal team points out those tickets were purchased weeks before the device was found.
OpenAI fired him right after his arrest, putting a spotlight on security concerns in tech companies as AI competition heats up worldwide.