Ann Altman has filed a lawsuit against her brother, Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, alleging that he sexually abused her over a period from 1997 to 2006.
The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court in the Eastern District of Missouri on January 6, claims that the abuse began when Ann was three years old and Sam was twelve.
In a joint statement on X, Sam Altman, alongside his mother and two brothers, firmly denied these allegations, stating, “All of these claims are utterly untrue.” They further mentioned the difficulty of supporting a family member with mental health challenges, indicating that such support has been a complex and painful issue for their family.
According to Sam Altman, he has provided ongoing financial support to Ann, including covering her bills and rent, and even offering to purchase a house for her. However, he noted that she continuously demands more financial assistance.
The lawsuit details serious accusations against Altman, alleging acts of “rape, sexual assault, molestation, sodomy, and battery” that resulted in “great bodily injury”, severe emotional distress, and depression for Ann. She also claims to have incurred significant medical expenses for treatment related to these alleged abuses.
The Altman family statement acknowledges past efforts to support Ann, stating they followed professional advice to be supportive without enabling harmful behaviours. The lawsuit specifies that the last alleged incident occurred when Sam was an adult but Ann was still a minor.
Ann has previously aired these allegations on social media platforms like X. Sam Altman, a prominent tech figure who married Oliver Mulherin in 2024, has been at the helm of OpenAI since the successful 2022 launch of ChatGPT, which has since gained widespread use for various applications. Altman was briefly ousted from his position in 2024 but quickly reinstated, surviving a boardroom upheaval.
Busted.