WASHINGTON, D.C.: An OpenAI engineer has been charged with secretly recording private company meetings after police found a hidden listening device in an executive conference room.

The employee, Abdulrahman Alfozan, a 35-year-old Saudi national, was arrested on October 9, about a week after OpenAI discovered the device. The details were included in a criminal complaint filed in federal court in San Francisco.

Although the complaint did not name the company, OpenAI confirmed that it had found a recording device hidden inside one of its offices. The company reported the discovery to the FBI and dismissed the employee.

An OpenAI spokesperson said the company used its artificial intelligence models to examine the device and identify its source. The investigation led to a specific employee who had allegedly placed it in the room 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 spokesperson said.

OpenAI said it found no evidence that Alfozan improperly accessed or took its AI model weights, source code, or customer data. The company also confirmed that it had terminated his employment.

The complaint did not explain what Alfozan intended to do with any recordings. However, OpenAI said the device was sophisticated, designed to avoid detection and equipped with advanced encryption and audio-monitoring features.

The company also said it had evidence that Alfozan planned to install more listening devices in other parts of the office building to record meetings.

U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said the alleged attempt to obtain confidential communications was being treated seriously. He warned that the theft of intellectual property linked to advanced artificial intelligence technology could threaten national security.

Alfozan appeared in court for the first time on Tuesday. He faces a charge of using or attempting to use an electronic, mechanical, or other device to intercept spoken conversations.

It was not immediately clear whether he had a lawyer who could comment on the allegations. He is due to return to court on October 19.

Device Hidden Behind Television

According to the criminal complaint, police discovered the recording device on September 30 in an executive conference room. It had been concealed in toilet paper and inserted into a USB port at the back of a television.

The room did not have a security camera when the device was allegedly installed. However, CCTV footage from other parts of the office showed Alfozan near the conference room on almost a dozen occasions during the previous month.

The complaint said he had no authority to enter the room or take part in meetings held there.

After discovering the device, OpenAI installed a camera in the conference room. According to the FBI, footage recorded the following week showed Alfozan entering the room and checking behind the television where the device had been placed.

Second Recording Device Found

The complaint also described another incident shortly before Alfozan's arrest.

Days before he was taken into custody, Alfozan allegedly left a bag unattended in a different room inside the company's offices.

OpenAI staff opened the bag and found his wallet, identification documents, and another recording device. Investigators said the second device was similar to the one discovered behind the television in the executive conference room.

The findings raised concerns that the alleged activity might have extended beyond a single room. OpenAI said it had evidence of plans to place additional listening devices elsewhere in the building.

The FBI's investigation remains ongoing, and OpenAI has said it will continue to assist investigators.

The allegations have not been proven in court.