A federal judge on Friday dismissed certain claims in a lawsuit filed by Annie Altman accusing her brother, OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman, of sexual abuse more than two decades ago, but left the door open for alternate legal theories and permitted Sam Altman to seek damages through a defamation counterclaim.
U.S. District Judge Zachary Bluestone in St. Louis found that Annie Altman cannot pursue causes of action for sexual assault and sexual battery stemming from alleged incidents between 1997 and 2006 because those claims are time-barred - the judge concluded they expired in 2008. At the same time, the court granted Annie Altman leave to file an amended complaint alleging a violation under Missouri’s Childhood Sexual Abuse statute.
The legal dispute also includes a separate avenue of contention: Sam Altman has filed a defamation counterclaim tied to posts his sister made on social media platforms from 2021 through 2024. The contested content included videos and posts in which Annie Altman described being "touched by older siblings" and said an "almost tech billionaire" molested her, often without naming anyone directly.
Judge Bluestone said those statements "require only a reasonable inference" that Sam Altman was being identified as the alleged perpetrator, and therefore held that Sam Altman may attempt to prove defamation by showing his sister acted with actual malice in making the social-media statements.
Legal representatives reacted differently. Ryan Mahoney, counsel for Annie Altman, said she will promptly file an amended complaint and continue to gather evidence to support her claims. A lawyer for Sam Altman declined to comment to the court record beyond filings.
Annie Altman initially sued her brother in January 2025, alleging abuse at the family home in suburban Clayton, Missouri, beginning when she was three and her brother was 12. Sam Altman, now 40, and his family have stated that his sister has mental health challenges. In court filings Sam Altman said the family has been "deliberate and thoughtful" in assisting Annie Altman, including providing monthly financial support, and he characterized the lawsuit as extortion.
The case exists alongside broader litigation involving OpenAI’s corporate structure. Another co-founder, Elon Musk, is pursuing a separate suit over OpenAI’s conversion to a for-profit company and is seeking as much as $134.5 billion in damages from OpenAI and Microsoft; jury selection in that matter is scheduled for April 27. Publicly reported estimates place Sam Altman’s net worth at $3.4 billion, according to Forbes.
The recent ruling narrows the immediate legal claims related to alleged historical abuse while preserving pathways for further pleadings under state law and for a defamation dispute based on recent social-media activity. Both sides now face additional procedural steps: Annie Altman with an amended complaint under the childhood-abuse statute, and Sam Altman with an opportunity to pursue alleged reputational harm tied to his sister’s public statements.