Ann Altman has accused her brother, Sam Altman, of sexual abuse in a lawsuit. She claims the abuse occurred regularly between 1997 and 2006, starting when she was three and he was 12. The lawsuit was filed on January 6 in the US District Court in the Eastern District of Missouri.
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, denies the accusations in a joint statement with his mother and two brothers. “All of these claims are utterly untrue,” the statement read. They described caring for a family member with mental health challenges as incredibly difficult.
Ms. Altman alleges her brother “groomed and manipulated” her and committed multiple acts of sexual abuse, including rape and battery. The lawsuit also claims she suffered physical injuries, severe emotional distress, and depression. She says the abuse resulted in significant medical and mental health expenses.
Statements and Ongoing Family Support
Sam Altman stated he provides monthly financial support to his sister, pays her rent and bills, and even offered to buy her a house. However, he claims she continues to demand more money. “Over the years, we’ve tried in many ways to support Annie and help her find stability,” he said. He added that he had sought professional advice to support her without enabling harmful behaviors.
Ms. Altman has previously made similar accusations on social media platforms like X. Her lawsuit alleges the abuse continued into adulthood for Mr. Altman, while she was still a minor.
In the UK, sexual offense victims have a right to lifelong anonymity, but this legislation does not apply in the US.
Background on Sam Altman
Sam Altman is a prominent figure in the tech world and the CEO of OpenAI, known for creating ChatGPT. The chatbot, launched in late 2022, became globally popular for generating text, code, and images from user prompts.
In 2024, Altman survived a high-profile boardroom coup attempt and returned to lead OpenAI after being briefly fired. Later that year, he married his partner, Oliver Mulherin.
The allegations come amid Altman’s high-profile career, contrasting starkly with his public image as a tech leader. The case continues to draw significant public attention.
Warning: This story contains distressing details.
