OpenAI chief Sam Altman denies sexually abusing sister, after she sues him

Ann Altman, the sister of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, has filed a lawsuit alleging that he sexually abused her between 1997 and 2006. The allegations, filed on Monday in St. Louis federal court, claim the abuse began at the family home in Clayton, Missouri, when Ann was three and Sam was 12.

Now 30 years old, Ann Altman alleges that the abuse included repeated acts of rape, sexual assault, molestation, sodomy, and battery until she was 11 or 12.

She is seeking at least $75,000 (approximately Ksh.9.7 million) in damages, plus punitive damages, citing injuries such as post-traumatic stress disorder, severe emotional distress, mental anguish, and depression.

In response, Sam Altman, 39, issued a statement on Tuesday alongside his mother and two brothers, categorically denying the allegations.

“All of these claims are utterly untrue,” the family said in a joint post on X (formerly Twitter), describing the situation as “incredibly difficult.” They also stated that Ann, known as Annie, has mental health challenges and refuses conventional treatment.

“Our family loves Annie and is very concerned about her well-being,” they added. “Annie receives monthly financial support, which we expect to continue for the rest of her life. Despite this, Annie continues to demand more money from us.”

Ann Altman’s lawyers have not commented on the family’s statement or the lawsuit.

Sam Altman, who co-founded OpenAI with Elon Musk and others, rose to prominence following the 2022 launch of ChatGPT, a groundbreaking AI tool. OpenAI, backed by Microsoft, was valued at $157 billion in October after raising $6.6 billion from investors. Forbes estimates Sam Altman’s net worth at $1.1 billion (Ksh.142.5 billion).