US judge dismisses Sam Altman’s sister’s sexual abuse lawsuit

By Rabia Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - A US federal judge has dismissed a civil lawsuit filed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s sister accusing him of repeated sexual abuse more than two decades ago, an accusation he denies.

US District Judge Zachary Bluestone of the Eastern District of Missouri dismissed Ann Altman’s claims with prejudice Monday, meaning they cannot be refiled.

“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,” wrote Bluestone.

The judge said she failed to appear for a court-ordered independent medical examination “on three separate occasions,” despite accommodations including “the presence of a female nurse, the option of traveling to Boston instead of St. Louis, and ensuring she could knit.”

“The Court has repeatedly warned Annie that her failure to appear for a court-ordered IME (independent medical examiner) would result in the dismissal of her case with prejudice,” said the order.

Bluestone found that her conduct amounted to “a pattern of intentional delay” and that her “explanations or excuses” were not credible.

The court also granted Sam Altman’s request to dismiss his counterclaims without prejudice. It denied his request for attorneys’ fees, saying the dismissal “is a sufficient sanction.”

Rabia İclal Turan