Sam Altman rebuffs accusations of misconduct in a lawsuit filed by his sister
Sam Altman rebuffs accusations of misconduct in a lawsuit filed by his sister
In federal court in Missouri, Sam Altman, AI's renowned venture capitalist and OpenAI's CEO, is facing a lawsuit. His sister, Ann Altman, has accused him of sexual assault and battery, alleging a series of reprehensible acts that occurred between 1997 and 2006.
The abuse, as per Ann's lawsuit, commenced when she was just three and her brother was twelve, at their family home in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. The lawsuit details numerous instances of rape, sexual assault, molestation, sodomy, and battery. It further claims that the last instances of abuse occurred with Ann as a minor and her brother as an adult.
CNN reached out to Sam's representation but hasn't received a response yet. In a joint statement with his mother and brothers, Sam denounced the accusations, labeling them entirely false. He also noted Ann's struggles with mental health and her refusal to adhere to conventional treatment.
The family allegedly provides her with monthly financial support, which they expect to continue indefinitely. Despite this, Ann has continued to demand additional funds from her family. In response to the family's statement, Ann's lawyer, Ryan Mahoney, declared that focusing on her mental health isn't relevant to the allegations. He also asserts that there's no evidence suggesting Ann's own mental health issues contributed to her accusations.
Ann, then 30, claimed that she suffered from PTSD, extreme emotional distress, mental anguish, and depression due to the abuse. She also incurred substantial medical expenses as a consequence. The lawsuit, filed under a Missouri law allowing child sexual abuse victims to file suits until their 31st birthday, was filed two days after Ann's 31st birthday, on January 7, 2025.
Sam Altman, a 39-year-old who spearheaded AI's rise, serving as the CEO of OpenAI, remains a figure of influence in the industry. OpenAI, with its ChatGPT bot, has a staggering $157 billion valuation, backed by Microsoft. OpenAI hasn't issued a comment on the matter as of yet.
[1] Source: Wall Street Journal[2] Source: Business Insider[3] Source: TechCrunch[4] Source: The Verge[5] Source: Twitter's X account (formerly Twitter)
Despite the ongoing legal battles, Sam Altman's business ventures continue to thrive. For instance, OpenAI, the company he leads, has a substantial valuation of $157 billion, largely due to their innovative ChatGPT bot. This success in the business world underscores the separation between Sam's professional and personal life.