ChatGPT founder accused of child sex abuse by sister
The sister of Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI and a key figure in artificial intelligence, has accused him of sexually abusing her when they were children. Altman has denied the allegations, claiming that his sibling is seeking financial gain.
Annie Altman filed a lawsuit on Monday in the US District Court in Missouri, claiming she suffered sexual abuse from the age of three, when Sam was 12 years old, according to reports by CNBC and BBC. The abuse allegedly included rape.
This caused the plaintiff “severe emotional distress, mental anguish, and depression,” according to the lawsuit, which states that Annie Altman wants a trial and damages in excess of $75,000.
Sam Altman has unequivocally denied the allegations. He released a joint statement with his mother Connie, and brothers Jack and Max, saying the allegations – which date back to at least 2021 – are “deeply hurtful and entirely untrue.”
“We’ve chosen not to respond publicly, out of respect for her privacy and our own. However, she has now taken legal action against Sam, and we feel we have no choice but to address this,” the statement said.
Annie, they claimed, is facing “mental health challenges” and “refuses conventional treatment, and lashes out at family members who are genuinely trying to help.” The Altman family gave Annie substantial financial support and “attempted to get her medical help, and have offered to buy her a house through a trust.”
“Despite this, Annie continues to demand more money from us,” the statement said, with Sam Altman later claiming, citing the unpublished letter from his sister’s lawyer, that compensation appears to be the primary goal of the lawsuit.
Sam Altman is best known as the CEO of OpenAI, which created the ChatGPT AI chatbot. As of 2025, his estimated net worth is $1.1 billion, according to Forbes.
Meanwhile, in an article on Medium in March, Annie Altman claimed to have received no financial support for years while barely making ends meet and suffering from an ovary condition. Altman also said that, at one point, she briefly “turned to escorting” and online sex work.
