OpenAI CEO Sam Altman wins dismissal of sister's lawsuit

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has secured the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by his sister, who accused him of sexually abusing her more than 20 years ago.

A US district judge threw out the case after Ann Altman declined to appear for an independent medical examination, noting she had been warned that failing to do so could lead to dismissal.

Ann Altman alleged that the OpenAI founder repeatedly sexually abused her from 1997 to 2006. Sam Altman has denied the allegations.

The Altman family has said Ann Altman has mental health difficulties and that they have provided her with financial support, adding that the accusations came as she kept asking for more money.

District Judge Zachary Bluestone said that, despite multiple accommodations and several chances to comply, Ann Altman failed to show up for an independent medical exam on three separate occasions and "failed to meaningfully prosecute her case".

"Because Annie has continued to violate her discovery obligations and forced this case to a halt through her intransigence, the Court has run out of options and, thus, dismisses her claims with prejudice," he said in his written order.

The lawsuit was filed on 6 January 2025 in the Eastern District of Missouri.

In the complaint, Ann Altman said her older brother Sam Altman started abusing her when she was three and he was 12.

But in a joint statement issued at the time by Sam Altman, his mother and his two brothers, the family said they were worried about Ann Altman’s wellbeing and had spent years trying to support her financially and care for her.

The family said she receives monthly financial support, and that her bills and rent were also paid, while they also tried to help her obtain medical care.

The statement said her allegations against Sam Altman had changed significantly over time, but that all of them were "utterly untrue".

Sam Altman is the co-founder of OpenAI, which launched its widely used ChatGPT artificial intelligence chatbot in 2022.