Silke Mayr Ann Altman has filed a lawsuit alleging her brother, Sam Altman, sexually abused her from 1997 to 2006.
According to the lawsuit filed on January 6 in a US District Court in Missouri, the abuse allegedly began when she was three and Mr. Altman was 12.
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI and creator of ChatGPT, denied the accusations. In a joint statement on X with his mother and brothers, he said, “All of these claims are utterly untrue.” The family described the situation as challenging, citing ongoing efforts to support Ms. Altman, who they say faces mental health struggles.
Legal and Personal Claims
Ms. Altman accused her brother of “grooming and manipulating” her over several years. The lawsuit lists severe allegations, including rape, sexual assault, molestation, sodomy, and battery. She claims she suffered significant physical injuries, emotional distress, and incurred medical bills for her treatment.
Mr. Altman stated he provides financial support to his sister, including paying her rent, bills, and offering to buy her a house. However, he added, “She continues to demand more money from us.”
In her legal filing, Ms. Altman alleged the abuse continued until she was a minor and Mr. Altman was an adult. She also made similar accusations against him on social media platforms in the past.
Public Response and Professional Background
Sam Altman expressed his pain over the situation, saying, “This causes immense pain to our entire family.” He noted they had sought professional advice to support Ms. Altman while avoiding enabling harmful behaviors.
Despite the allegations, Mr. Altman remains one of the most prominent figures in the tech industry. OpenAI’s ChatGPT, launched in late 2022, gained global recognition for generating text, code, and images based on user prompts. In 2024, Mr. Altman returned to OpenAI’s leadership days after being ousted in a brief boardroom coup.
Mr. Altman married Oliver Mulherin in 2024. Meanwhile, Ms. Altman continues to pursue legal action, alleging her brother caused her lasting harm.