The man accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail at OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s San Francisco home was found in possession of an “anti-AI” document listing the names and addresses of other AI CEOs and investors, federal authorities said.
Daniel Moreno-Gama was indicted on multiple state charges, including attempted murder. Jail records show he now faces federal charges in connection with Friday’s attack. A federal criminal complaint reviewed by Business Insider charges him with possession of an unregistered firearm and attempted damage to property with an explosive device.
It was not immediately clear whether Morenogama had hired a lawyer.
According to an FBI agent’s affidavit, authorities said a 20-year-old man traveled to California from Texas and threw Molotov cocktails at two adjoining homes owned by Altman in the early morning hours. The device caused a fire above the driveway gate and the suspect fled the scene, according to the affidavit.
Surveillance camera images captured Daniel Moreno Gama outside OpenAI headquarters. Ministry of Justice
About an hour and a half later, the suspect arrived at OpenAI’s San Francisco headquarters, sat down in a chair and used it to bang on a glass door, federal authorities said. His actions were captured on surveillance camera footage, according to court documents.
According to reports from security personnel at the scene, the suspect said he had come to “burn it down and kill the people inside.”
San Francisco Police Department officers eventually arrested Moreno-Gama and recovered an “incendiary device,” a jug of kerosene, a blue lighter and anti-AI literature, according to court documents.
The documents were a three-part series that “identified views opposing artificial intelligence (AI) and executives from various AI companies, including Victim-1,” according to the affidavit. Victim-1 is Altman, who acknowledged the attack on his blog.
Sam Altman in a tuxedo Taylor Hill/Film Magic
The first part of the document was titled “Final Warning,” followed by the suspect’s name. According to the affidavit, in that part of the letter, he allegedly stated that he had ‘killed/attempted to kill’ Victim-1.
“Also, if I am going to defend the murders and criminal acts of others, I must lead by example and demonstrate that I am completely true to my message,” the affidavit reads.
The document then listed the names of potential board members, the AI company’s CEO, and investors, according to court documents.
The second half of the document, titled “A More About the Imminent Extinction Issue,” details “the risks that AI poses to humanity,” federal officials said.
The third part was a letter addressed to Altman that began, “If successful,” according to court documents. “If by some miracle you are alive, I will accept this as a sign of my salvation from God,” the letter said, according to the affidavit.
Morenogama remains behind bars at the San Francisco County Jail, according to online records.