Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, is facing allegations of sexual abuse from his sister, Ann Altman, in a lawsuit filed on January 6 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. The lawsuit claims the abuse occurred from 1997 to 2006, starting when Ms. Altman was three years old and Mr. Altman was 12.

The lawsuit alleges years of abuse, including rape, with the last instance reportedly occurring when Mr. Altman was an adult, and Ms. Altman was still a minor. The filing requests a jury trial and seeks damages exceeding $75,000 (£60,100).

Ms. Altman has previously made similar accusations against her brother on social media platforms, including X (formerly Twitter).

In a joint statement released on X, Sam Altman, his mother, and two brothers denied the allegations, calling them “utterly untrue.” The statement also referenced the family’s struggles with mental health challenges:

“Caring for a family member who faces mental health challenges is incredibly difficult. This situation causes immense pain to our entire family.”

Sam Altman is one of the most prominent figures in the tech world. As CEO of OpenAI, he oversaw the launch of the widely acclaimed ChatGPT generative AI chatbot in late 2022.

The lawsuit marks a serious legal and reputational challenge for Mr. Altman, whose leadership in the AI industry has drawn significant global attention. The case remains under legal review, with further developments expected as it progresses through the courts.