OpenAI CEO Sam Altman wins dismissal of sister's lawsuit

A US judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought by Ann Altman against her brother, OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman, in which she alleged that he sexually abused her as a child.

The case was filed in January 2025 in the Eastern District of Missouri. In it, Ann Altman claimed the abuse took place regularly between 1997 and 2006, starting when she was three years old. Sam Altman has denied the allegations.

District Judge Zachary Bluestone threw the case out after Ann Altman failed to attend an independent medical examination on three separate occasions. The judge said she had been given multiple accommodations and opportunities, had been warned that missing the examination could end the case, and had not meaningfully pursued her claim. He dismissed her claims with prejudice, meaning they cannot be brought again.

In a joint statement issued when the lawsuit was filed, Sam Altman, his mother and his brothers said the family was concerned about Ann Altman's wellbeing. They said she has mental health challenges, that they support her financially, covering monthly payments, bills and rent, and that her allegations had changed significantly over time and were untrue.

Sam Altman co-founded OpenAI, the company behind the ChatGPT chatbot, which launched in 2022.