Alfozan had been employed as an engineer by OpenAI since July 2025. The criticism said he was educated in the US and has been a legal everlasting resident since 2020.
He was arrested by the FBI on 9 October and his contract with OpenAI has been terminated.
Alfozan’s lawyer William Pernik instructed the BBC: “Like countless Americans, Mr Alfozan came to this country years ago as a young person with a dream.
“These allegations seem wholly out of character for him, and we will relentlessly examine all evidence produced by the authorities in this case to perceive what really occurred, who was accountable and any potential causes why.”
Pernik added: “In the meantime, we respectfully ask everyone to withhold judgment until full details become recognized. Like every one of us, Mr Alfozan is presumed harmless, and what has been made public is an accusation, not a discovering of guilt.”
On Tuesday, Alfozan made his initial appearance in a federal court in California. A detention hearing is scheduled on 19 October to determine whether he should remain in custody while proceedings continue.
The FBI investigation is ongoing.
If convicted, Alfozan faces a most penalty of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 (£190,000) effective.
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