Claiming Abuse Since 2021
Altman Family: "False Claims... Mentally Unstable"
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, the AI specialist company that ushered in the era of generative artificial intelligence (AI) with 'ChatGPT,' has been sued for sexual exploitation and abuse. The lawsuit was filed by his younger sister, Ann Altman, who claims she was sexually abused by her brother from 1997 to 2006. However, other members of the Altman family have denied these allegations.
On the 7th (local time), the U.S. financial media outlet CNBC reported that Ann Altman had filed a lawsuit against her brother, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, on charges of sexual abuse. The complaint was filed with the federal district court located in the Eastern District of Missouri.
In Clayton, the area where Sam Altman and his sister Ann lived, Ann claims she was abused by her brother from 1997 to 2006. At that time, Ann was 3 years old, and CEO Altman was 12. In the lawsuit, Ann's side stated, "My brother regularly sexually abused me," and that it occurred "several times a week."
Ann's side also claimed, "As a direct or indirect result of the aforementioned sexual violence, the plaintiff has suffered severe emotional and mental distress, including depression," and that such suffering "is expected to continue in the future."
This is not the first time Ann has made such allegations. Previously, in November 2021, Ann Altman sparked controversy by posting on her X account that she had been subjected to emotional, physical, financial, and technical harassment by her biological brother Sam Altman, stating, "Most of it was from Sam Altman, but there was also Jack Altman (another sibling)."
Ann Altman claimed in 2021 that she had been sexually abused by her older brother, CEO Sam Altman. Photo by X capture
Ann Altman's claims caused a stir not only in the U.S. tech industry but also in the business world. However, at that time, Ann did not pursue actual legal action. Since then, Ann has appointed the law firm Ryan Mahoney, which specializes in lawsuits related to sexual assault and harassment in the U.S., as her legal representative, and it appears she took concrete action on the 6th. The plaintiff has requested a jury trial and is seeking damages exceeding $75,000 from CEO Sam Altman.
Meanwhile, the Altman family has denied Ann's claims as untrue. Connie, the mother of CEO Altman, along with other siblings Jack and Max, posted a joint statement on X. In the statement, they said, "Annie (Ann's nickname) is deeply hurting our family, especially Sam, and is making completely false claims."
They added, "We have chosen not to respond publicly out of respect for Ann's privacy and ours," but warned, "Now that Ann has taken legal action against Sam, we have no choice but to resolve the matter."
The family also claimed that Ann is not mentally sound. They stated, "All of her claims are completely false," and "This situation is causing tremendous pain to our entire family." They criticized Ann by saying, "She is facing mental health issues, refuses conventional treatment, and attacks family members who sincerely try to help her."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
