The legal battle between OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and his sister, Annie Altman, took a turn as both law firms representing her announced their withdrawal from the case. Citing filings submitted to a St. Louis federal court, news agency Reuters reported that the Mahoney Law Firm and the Simon Law Firm stated that they could no longer represent Annie Altman. The firms cited an “unfortunate general breakdown in the attorney-client relationship,” making it “impracticable” to continue their work on the civil lawsuit, as per Reuters. The lawyers also pointed to confidential and privileged professional considerations as reasons for the split. Annie Altman is now reportedly searching for new legal counsel.
Why Sam Altman’s sister filed lawsuit against him
The lawsuit involves personal allegations. Annie Altman has accused her brother of sexual abuse and rape occurring between 1997 and 2006 at their family home in Missouri. According to her claims, the abuse began when she was just three years old and Sam was 12.Sam Altman, now 41, has flatly denied all accusations. He and other members of the Altman family have stated that Annie suffers from mental health challenges and had previously received financial support from them.
Sam Altman hits back
Meanwhile, the OpenAI chief has launched a legal counter-offensive, suing his sister for defamation. He claims the accusations surfaced on social media only after the family rejected what he described as an “extortionate demand” for more money.In his defamation suit, Sam Altman is seeking a symbolic $1 in damages, arguing that his sister’s public posts, including a video referencing an “almost tech billionaire”, have unfairly tarnished his reputation.Recently, the OpenAI CEO asked a US court to dismiss punitive charges against him in a civil lawsuit filed by his sister. The lawsuit accused the OpenAI co-founder of repeated sexual abuse more than 20 years ago. In a fling with St. Louis federal court, Sam Altman said Missouri’s child sexual abuse statute does not authorize punitive damages for Annie Altman’s claims, says a Reuters report. Instead, it limits her to “damages for injury or illness” caused by childhood sexual abuse.
