A US federal judge has dismissed a civil lawsuit filed by Annie Altman, the sister of OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman, who accused him of sexual abuse spanning several years during their childhood. Sam Altman has denied the allegations.
The dismissal came after Annie Altman failed to appear for an independent medical examination, despite warnings that her refusal could lead to the case being thrown out. US District Judge Zachary Bluestone cited that failure in his decision.
Annie filed the lawsuit in federal court in St. Louis, Missouri, in January 2025. She alleged that the abuse began in 1997, when she was three years old and her brother was 12, and continued until 2006. According to the complaint, the alleged incidents took place at the family’s home in Clayton, a suburb of St. Louis, with the accusations extending into the period when Sam Altman was an adult.
The case placed renewed attention on the personal life of the technology executive, who became one of the most prominent figures in the artificial intelligence industry following the launch of ChatGPT in 2022.
Annie’s former representative, Santos Perez, who withdrew from the case earlier this month, said he was no longer authorised to comment on the proceedings but continued to express support for her. Her current representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Representatives for Sam Altman also did not immediately comment on the dismissal.
The Altman family has disputed Annie’s account, pointing to what they describe as her mental health challenges and the financial assistance she has received from relatives. Sam Altman has previously alleged that she began making accusations against him on social media after the family refused her requests for additional money.
The judge’s ruling ends the lawsuit at this stage, with the dismissal tied to Annie Altman’s failure to attend the required medical examination. Sam Altman has consistently denied the allegations against him.
