A 20-year-old man identified by prosecutors as Daniel Moreno‑Gama made his first court appearance Tuesday after being accused of throwing Molotov cocktails at homes owned by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
Court filings allege Moreno‑Gama targeted two of Altman’s residences, launching incendiary devices that caused only minor damage. Investigators say they recovered multiple alleged incendiary devices, a jug of kerosene and a lighter at the scene.
Authorities further allege the suspect brought similar materials to OpenAI’s headquarters, smashed doors and told people he planned to burn the building and kill those inside. Prosecutors say he authored a memo expressing anti‑AI views, including passages that advocate violence and explicitly justify Altman’s death. He was arrested at the scene; federal records indicate he did not have any registered firearms or registered destructive devices.
Moreno‑Gama’s attorney says he was experiencing an acute mental‑health crisis and argues the charges are overbroad, describing the conduct as, at most, a property crime. San Francisco’s district attorney responded that the actions constituted a targeted attack and that prosecutors have evidence supporting the charges.
If convicted, the defendant faces significant prison terms: a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years on an explosives charge, plus up to 10 years for possessing an unregistered destructive device, along with possible fines and supervised release. Prosecutors have asked a judge to keep him detained without bail.
Reporting from Washington by Nicole Sganga.