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Sam Altman Denies Sexual Abuse Allegations Filed by Sister, Calls Claims “Entirely Untrue”
Edited by: TJVNews.com
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has publicly denied allegations of sexual abuse detailed in a federal lawsuit filed by his sister, Annie Altman, earlier this week. According to a report that appeared on Wednesday in The New York Post, the lawsuit, filed Monday in the U.S. Eastern District of Missouri, accuses the tech billionaire of repeatedly abusing his sister starting when she was three years old and he was twelve.
The filing alleges that the abuse occurred “several times per week” in the family’s Clayton, Missouri, home, escalating from oral sex to penetration. Annie claims that as a result of the alleged abuse, she has suffered from severe emotional distress, mental anguish, and depression, conditions she expects will persist into the future. She is seeking a jury trial and damages exceeding $75,000, The New York Post reported.
This is not the first time Annie Altman has accused her siblings of abuse. According to the information provided in The New York Post report, she publicly alleged in 2021 that she experienced sexual, physical, emotional, verbal, financial, and technological abuse from her brothers Sam and Jack Altman. In the lawsuit, Annie reiterates these accusations and claims the trauma has deeply impacted her life.
Her lawyer has yet to respond to media inquiries regarding the case, The New York Post noted.
On Tuesday night, Sam Altman, along with his mother Connie and brothers Jack and Max, issued a joint statement strongly denying the allegations. According to the information in The New York Post report, the statement described Annie’s claims as “deeply hurtful and entirely untrue.”
The family said they initially refrained from responding publicly out of respect for Annie’s privacy and their own. However, they decided to address the matter after Annie’s decision to take legal action against Sam. In the statement, the Altmans also suggested that Annie faces significant mental health challenges and has refused conventional treatment, which they claim has led to strained relationships within the family.
The family outlined efforts they have made to support Annie, including paying her bills, covering her rent, helping her find job opportunities, offering to buy her a house through a trust, and attempting to secure medical assistance for her, The New York Post report indicated.
The lawsuit adds to a series of challenges faced by Sam Altman, who has gained international prominence as the CEO of OpenAI. Under his leadership, OpenAI has revolutionized the tech industry with the launch of ChatGPT, propelling the company’s valuation to $157 billion after a $6.6 billion funding round in October.
As reported by The New York Post, Annie has previously accused Sam of “shadowbanning” her from using ChatGPT, a claim included in the family’s statement addressing the lawsuit.
The allegations come at a time when Altman is already navigating significant professional hurdles. In November 2023, he was briefly ousted from his role as CEO of OpenAI by the company’s board but was reinstated shortly thereafter, thanks to investor support.
In addition to the allegations from his sister, Sam Altman is embroiled in a legal battle with Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, a co-founder of OpenAI who severed ties with the company in 2018. As The New York Post reported, Musk has been attempting to block Altman from transitioning OpenAI into a for-profit entity.
Musk initially filed a lawsuit in March in a San Francisco state court but later refiled it in federal court. OpenAI has pushed back on Musk’s claims, arguing that he himself helped create the for-profit structure during his involvement with the company in 2017, The New York Post report stated.
The allegations from Annie Altman have added a deeply personal dimension to Sam Altman’s already tumultuous professional year. While the outcome of the lawsuit remains uncertain, The New York Post report emphasized that the case has drawn significant public attention due to Altman’s prominence as a tech leader and the nature of the allegations.
With legal proceedings now underway, both the Altman family and OpenAI will likely face further scrutiny as this case unfolds.
