Alfozan, 35, a Saudi national, is charged with using or attempting to use a device to intercept oral communications. He was arrested Oct. 9 and appeared in federal court Tuesday. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
OpenAI staff discovered the first recorder around Sept. 30, concealed in toilet paper and plugged into a USB port behind the television, the complaint says. Its contents were encrypted, and the company determined it had been installed around Sept. 28. OpenAI used its own AI models to analyze the device and trace it to the employee, who was fired. The company says it has no indication he improperly accessed or took model weights, source code or customer data. The FBI investigation continues.