Judge dismisses Sam Altman’s sister’s sexual abuse lawsuit

Ann Altman’s lawsuit against her brother was dismissed with prejudice, meaning it can’t be refiled.

Ann Altman’s lawsuit against her brother was dismissed with prejudice, meaning it can’t be refiled.

On Tuesday, US District Judge Zachary Bluestone dismissed the lawsuit Ann Altman filed last year alleging that her brother, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, had sexually abused her throughout her childhood. As reported earlier by The Guardian, the judge wrote that over the last year, Ann had failed to appear for an independent medical examination or meet other deadlines, despite warnings that it would result in the case being dismissed.

When the case was filed last year, a statement shared by Sam Altman, his mother, and his brothers said, “Annie has made deeply hurtful and entirely untrue claims about our family, and especially Sam… All of these claims are utterly untrue. This situation causes immense pain to our entire family.”

Judge Bluestone granted Sam Altman’s motion to dismiss the case with prejudice, meaning it can’t be refiled in that court, while denying Sam’s request for attorney fees and costs. Santos Perez, a lawyer who had represented Ann until withdrawing this month, told The Guardian in a statement that “I am no longer authorized to comment on this case but I continue to believe in Annie.”

• Richard Lawler