Texas Student Accused of Molotov Attack on Sam Altman

Daniel Moreno-Gama, a 20-year-old college student from the Houston area, is accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail at Sam Altman’s home and then attempting to set fire to OpenAI’s offices in San Francisco. Authorities say he traveled to the city before the incidents.

Prosecutors allege Moreno-Gama tossed an incendiary device at Altman’s residence and later tried to ignite the entrance to OpenAI’s headquarters with the intent to burn the building down. He faces both federal and state charges, including attempted murder and arson. He has not entered a plea.

The public defender in the state case described the incident as “a property crime, at best.” Prosecutors have identified travel records, social media posts, a recorded interview and a manifesto as part of their evidence.

Investigators report finding online chats in which Moreno-Gama suggested “Luigi’ing some tech CEOs,” a reference to a prior killing of a corporate executive. Prosecutors say he listed several industry figures as possible targets, including Elon Musk, Jensen Huang, Peter Thiel and Alex Karp, and used online names such as Butlerian Jihadist and Discord Dan.

A January interview with podcast producers captures Moreno-Gama describing a change in his view of advanced AI. He recalled once finding ChatGPT “awesome” because he could “cheat on everything,” and later expressed alarm about what he characterized as the technology’s risks.

Investigators say they recovered a manifesto tied to Moreno-Gama that warned AI would destroy humanity. The document included a passage addressed to Altman: “If by some miracle you live, then I would take this as a sign from the divine to redeem yourself…”

Podcast producers initially agreed to withhold his identity. After the San Francisco arrest they released an edited interview and related material and linked the pseudonym to Moreno-Gama’s name; journalists who reviewed the material confirmed that link.

Federal and local investigators continue to review Moreno-Gama’s online activity and any possible connections to others. Prosecutors are pursuing charges at both levels of government. Altman has previously spoken publicly about the risks posed by advanced AI systems.