OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Denies Sexual Abuse Allegations in Lawsuit Filed by Sister

Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, is facing a lawsuit filed by his sister, Ann Altman, who alleges years of sexual abuse, starting when they were children. The lawsuit, filed on January 6 in a Missouri district court, claims the abuse began when Ann was three and Sam was twelve, with the final incident occurring while Sam was an adult and Annie was still a minor.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Denies Sexual Abuse Allegations in Lawsuit Filed by Sister

In response, Sam Altman, along with his mother, Connie, and his brothers, Max and Jack, issued a joint statement on X (formerly Twitter), denying the allegations as "utterly untrue." The statement expressed concern for Annie's wellbeing, acknowledging the difficulty of supporting a family member with mental health challenges, and emphasized that the claims were deeply painful for the family.

Ann Altman has previously made similar allegations on social media. Her lawsuit seeks a jury trial, damages exceeding $75,000, and legal fees. Her attorneys stated that the alleged abuse caused significant mental health issues.

The Altman family also said they had offered Annie financial support and attempted to help with medical treatment, but she refused conventional care. They had previously chosen not to publicly address the allegations but decided to speak out after Annie filed the lawsuit.

Sam Altman, 39, is a prominent figure in the tech industry, co-founding OpenAI, known for its AI chatbot, ChatGPT. In November 2023, he was briefly removed as CEO by the OpenAI board over allegations of being less than candid in his communications, but was reinstated after an employee revolt.