Godsent Ogbebor
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has denied allegations of childhood sexual abuse made by his sister, Annie Altman, who filed a legal complaint on Monday. In a statement published on social platform X, Sam, along with his mother and two brothers, dismissed the claims as false and deeply hurtful.
“Our family loves Annie and is very concerned about her well-being. Caring for a family member who faces mental health challenges is incredibly difficult,” the family’s statement read.
The family acknowledged years of tension with Annie, citing efforts to provide her with financial support, including covering her expenses and offering monthly assistance they intend to continue indefinitely. However, they stated that Annie has continued to demand additional money despite their support.
“The worst allegation she has made is that she was sexually abused by Sam as a child. Her claims have evolved drastically over time. Newly for this lawsuit, they now include allegations of incidents where Sam was over 18. All these claims are utterly untrue,” the family said.
Annie Altman
Annie Altman, who is nine years younger than Sam, alleges that the abuse occurred between 1997, when she was three years old, and 2006.
A 2023 New York Magazine report described Annie as an artist living in Hawaii, struggling with depression and a strained relationship with her family. The report also mentioned that she supports herself primarily through online sex work.
Sam Altman, is one of Silicon Valley’s most prominent figures, known globally for leading OpenAI’s groundbreaking release of ChatGPT in 2022. The tech entrepreneur and billionaire has been vocal about his goal to develop artificial general intelligence that benefits humanity.
The Altman family said they decided to address the allegations publicly following Annie’s legal complaint. They reiterated their support for her while firmly rejecting her accusations as baseless.
