Sam Altman Reveals Sister Previously Accused Him of WiFi Hacking and ‘Shadowbanning Her’

Published January 8, 2025 9:45 AM

Edited by Samantha Dunn

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is embroiled in a contentious legal battle after his sister, Ann Altman, filed a lawsuit accusing him of years of sexual abuse, beginning when she was a child.

Sam Altman and his family vehemently deny the allegations, citing Ann’s mental health struggles. However, the lawsuit has ignited a public debate due to its potential financial impact.

Altman vs. Sister

Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, is facing a lawsuit filed by his sister , Ann Altman, in the U.S., in which she accuses him of sexually abusing her over several years, beginning when they were children.

The lawsuit claims the abuse started when Ann was 3, and Sam was 12 and includes an allegation of rape. The filing states that the last instance of abuse occurred while Sam was an adult, but Ann was still a child at the time.

Ann Altman has previously made similar accusations against her brother on social media platforms.

In the court documents filed in Missouri, Ann Altman’s attorneys assert that she has suffered mental health challenges due to the alleged abuse.

Ann also accused Altman and the entire family of withholding their father’s 401k funds, hacking her Wi-Fi, and “shadowbanning” her on platforms like ChatGPT and Twitter.

Family Backs OpenAI CEO

In a joint statement shared on his X account with his mother and two brothers, the OpenAI CEO refuted the allegations, calling them “utterly untrue.”

“Our family loves Annie and is deeply concerned about her wellbeing,” the statement reads.

“Caring for a family member dealing with mental health challenges is incredibly difficult,” it continued.

It also stated: “Annie has made hurtful and completely false claims about our family, particularly Sam.”

“This situation is causing immense pain for all of us.”

The family’s statement further mentions that Ann Altman has previously made various accusations against members of the Altman family, noting that they have offered her financial support and encouraged her to seek medical help but that she “refuses conventional treatment.”

Not a Money Issue

The lawsuit requests a jury trial and damages in excess of $75,000. A user on X replied to Altman’s statement by saying, “I respect you tons, but let’s be real – $75k is not a money grab, especially for you. It raises way more questions than it addresses.”

Altman highlighted that it’s not a matter of money. “In excess of $75,000 is something required for this court, I believe,” he said.

“In case there is any doubt about the goal here, here is something Annie’s lawyer wrote to my lawyer: “Significantly, given our client’s tort claims involve sexual assault and sexual battery, we are allowed to seek punitive damages in this case under Missouri law.”

This means Ann Altman’s lawyers can seek discovery on Sam’s net worth and present his net worth to the jury for consideration on a punitive damages award.

“It is not often where we have a case involving childhood sexual abuse spanning many years of rape and incest where the individual defendant has the ability to pay a nine-figure punitive damages verdict. That is a very real possibility here,” Ann Altman’s lawyers added.

Most sexual abuse cases take two years on average to litigate. Ann Altman’s lawyers expect that Sam Altman‘s net worth may exceed $1 billion by the time it gets to trial.

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Sam Altman Reveals Sister Previously Accused Him of WiFi Hacking and ‘Shadowbanning Her’

Altman vs. Sister

Family Backs OpenAI CEO

Not a Money Issue

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