OpenAI has confirmed that it has no indications of this individual inappropriately accessing and exfiltrating sensitive data. (Photo: Reuters)An engineer with OpenAI has been arrested after the company found an audio recording device inside a conference room, the criminal complaint in federal court in San Francisco read.The 35-year-old accused — a Saudi national named Abdulrahman Alfozan — has been charged with secretly installing the device inside the room in an alleged effort to capture sensitive conversations about the company’s technology, the officials said.We discovered a sophisticated recording device that was hidden inside one of our offices. We used our models to understand the device and where it had come from, identifying that a specific employee had planted it a few days earlier. We referred the matter to the FBI, and we’re grateful to the agents and prosecutors who moved quickly to make an arrest. The FBI’s investigation is ongoing and we will continue to support their work.At this time, we have no indications of this individual inappropriately accessing or exfiltrating model weights, source code, or customer data. The employee was terminated.We take protecting our technology, data, and people seriously, and as a matter of national importance. Our security program is designed to protect against a wide range of threat actors, from insider risks to cybercriminals to nation states, and this case is an example of how AI can help address these sophisticated security threats.— OpenAI Newsroom (@OpenAINewsroom) October 13, 2026Even as the complaint did not identify the company, the firm, in a separate statement, confirmed that it noticed a “sophisticated recording device that was hidden inside one of our offices”, reported it to the FBI and fired the employee. “We used our models to understand the device and where it had come from, identifying that a specific employee had planted it a few days earlier. We referred the matter to the FBI, and we’re grateful to the agents and prosecutors who moved quickly to make an arrest. The FBI’s investigation is ongoing, and we will continue to support their work,” an OpenAI spokesperson said.OpenAI has confirmed that it has no indications of this individual inappropriately accessing or exfiltrating sensitive information such as model weights, source code, or customer data. “The employee was terminated,” the statement said.FBI and partners arrested this individual after he allegedly concealed a recording device inside his employer’s executive conference room to secretly capture sensitive communications about the company’s super intelligence tech – Thank you to @ODNIgov Jay Clayton @AGToddBlanche and our law enforcement partners for their support in this case. Investigation ongoing. Protecting American SI innovation is critically important and FBI views it as one of our highest counterintelligence priorities.— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) October 13, 2026The complaint does not mention what Alfozan might have wanted to do with any captured communications, but the company said the device was sophisticated, designed to evade detection and featured advanced encryption and audio monitoring capabilities.The Express Global Desk at indianexpress.com which delivers authoritative, verified, and context-driven coverage of key international developments shaping global politics, policy, and migration trends. The desk focuses on stories with direct relevance for Indian and global audiences, combining breaking news with in-depth explainers and analysis. A major focus area of the desk is US immigration and visa policy, including developments related to student visas, work permits, permanent residency pathways, executive actions, and court rulings. The Global Desk also closely tracks Canada’s immigration, visa, and study policies, covering changes to study permits, post-study work options, permanent residence programmes, and regulatory updates affecting migrants and international students. All reporting from the Global Desk adheres to The Indian Express’ editorial standards, relying on official data, government notifications, court documents, and on-record sources. The desk prioritises clarity, accuracy, and accountability, ensuring readers can navigate complex global systems with confidence. Core Team The Express Global Desk is led by a team of experienced journalists and editors with deep expertise in international affairs and migration policy: Aniruddha Dhar – Senior Assistant Editor with extensive experience in global affairs, international politics, and editorial leadership. Nischai Vats – Deputy Copy Editor specialising in US politics, US visa and immigration policy, and policy-driven international coverage. Mashkoora Khan – Sub-editor focusing on global developments, with a strong emphasis on Canada visa, immigration, and study-related policy coverage. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on InstagramTags:Openai