Daniel Moreno-Gama, 20, was charged by the grand jury on Tuesday for possessing an unregistered destructive device and attempted damage and destruction of property by means of explosives, according to the indictment filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
The indictment doesn’t identify the victim or company targeted, instead referring to Altman and OpenAI as “Victim-1” and “Company-1.”
Prosecutors allege that Moreno-Gama, who lives near Houston, targeted Altman’s Russian Hill home and later OpenAI’s headquarters in Mission Bay on April 10. The alleged attacks drew national attention and underscored growing security concerns for AI executives, amid fears of the technology’s rapid expansion.
Moreno-Gama allegedly threw the Molotov cocktail at one of Altman’s residences at about 3:37 a.m., igniting a fire on the driveway gate, according to the indictment.
About an hour and a half later, prosecutors say Moreno-Gama showed up at OpenAI’s headquarters in Mission Bay carrying a bottle of kerosene and a lighter. Moreno-Gama then smashed the building’s glass entrance with a chair and told an employee he intended to burn the place down, according to the indictment.
Federal prosecutors allege Moreno-Gama possessed an unregistered destructive device and he is accused of maliciously attempting to destroy a building used in interstate and foreign commerce through fire and explosives, according to the indictment.
Moreno-Gama was described by investigators and prosecutors as a motivated anti-AI activist who frequently wrote about his fears about AI and his hostility toward executives who run AI companies, like Altman.
Last week, Moreno-Gama pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder and attempted arson in state court, and could face penalties ranging from 19 years to life in state prison. If convicted, he could face a maximum prison sentence of 10 to 20 years for his federal charges.
Moreno-Gama’s defense attorney, Diamond Ward, has argued the incident stemmed from a mental health crisis rather than a genuine intent to kill. He remains in custody.