New Delhi, April 14 (IANS) A 20-year-old Texas man — accused of targeting Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI — has been charged with multiple state and federal offences after allegedly carrying out a Molotov cocktail attack on a residence and attempting to set a business on fire in San Francisco, authorities said.

According to the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, the accused, Daniel Alejandro Moreno-Gama, has been charged in connection with incidents that took place on April 10 in Russian Hill and at a commercial establishment on Third Street.

He faces multiple state charges, including two counts of attempted murder, attempted arson, possession and use of incendiary and destructive devices, and attempted criminal threats.

Prosecutors said they will seek to keep him in custody without bail, citing public safety concerns. Moreno-Gama is scheduled to be arraigned on Tuesday.

Separately, the US Department of Justice has filed federal charges against Moreno-Gama, including attempted damage and destruction of property using explosives and possession of an unregistered firearm.

According to the Department of Justice, Moreno-Gama allegedly travelled from Texas to San Francisco with the intent to kill the CEO of a major artificial intelligence (AI) company.

He is accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail at the CEO’s residence in the early hours of April 10 and later attempting to break into the AI company’s headquarters while threatening to burn it down.

“After throwing a Molotov cocktail at the CEO’s residences, the accused person allegedly went to the headquarters of the CEO’s AI company. He attempted to break the glass doors of the building with a chair and stated that he had come to burn down the location and kill anyone inside, the justice department said.

Additionally, law enforcement officials said he was found in possession of incendiary devices, a jug of kerosene, a lighter, and a document outlining threats against AI company executives and investors. The document reportedly advocated violence and listed multiple targets.

Officials described the case as a serious escalation from intent to action, warning that such acts could be treated as domestic terrorism if linked to attempts to influence public policy.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said, “Violence cannot be the norm for expressing disagreement, be it with politics or a technology or any other matter. These alleged actions, which damaged property and could well have taken lives, will be aggressively prosecuted.”

US Attorney Craig Missakian said, “We will not tolerate any attempt to change the way Americans live and work through fear or violence.” He added that if evidence shows the attacks were intended to influence public policy, the case could be treated as an act of domestic terrorism.

FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Cobo said the charges reflect a “deeply concerning escalation” targeting a private residence and a technology company, adding that threats against innovation leaders would be met with the full force of law enforcement.

The US Department of Justice said that if convicted, Moreno-Gama faces up to 20 years in prison on explosives-related charges and up to 10 years for firearm offences.

–IANS

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