A federal judge has dismissed a civil lawsuit filed against OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman by his sister, bringing a legal battle that began last year to a close. The case was thrown out after the plaintiff failed to comply with court-ordered medical examinations.
Ann Altman had initiated the legal action in January 2025 within the Eastern District of Missouri. Her complaint alleged that the prominent artificial intelligence executive had subjected her to regular sexual abuse spanning nearly a decade, beginning in the late nineteen-nineties.
Sam Altman consistently denied the allegations throughout the proceedings. At the time the lawsuit was initially filed, he released a joint statement alongside his mother and two brothers addressing the situation.
The family statement highlighted ongoing concerns regarding Ann Altman's health and well-being. Relatives explained that they had provided substantial financial assistance to her for years, covering living expenses and medical care, and asserted that the accusations arose after demands for additional money were not met.
District Judge Zachary Bluestone issued the ruling to dismiss the matter with prejudice, meaning the claims cannot be refiled. According to the written order, the plaintiff repeatedly missed scheduled independent medical evaluations despite receiving numerous extensions, warnings, and opportunities to comply with court directives.
The judge noted that the plaintiff had effectively halted the legal process through persistent non-compliance with standard discovery obligations. Consequently, the court determined that dismissal was the only remaining course of action.
Sam Altman is widely known as the co-founder and leader of OpenAI, the technology firm that introduced the popular ChatGPT artificial intelligence platform. The legal challenge marked a difficult personal chapter for the executive amid his high-profile career in the technology sector.
Reporting based on coverage first published by BBC News. Read the original report at BBC News.
