On April 27, two law firms representing Annie Altman in her sexual abuse lawsuit against OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman filed motions in St. Louis federal court seeking to withdraw as her counsel.
The Mahoney Law Firm and the Simon Law Firm told the court they were stepping away because of what they described as "an unfortunate general breakdown in the attorney-client relationship" and said that it was "impracticable" for them to continue representing her in the civil action. The filings also referenced professional considerations and "circumstances of a privileged and confidential nature."
The firms said Annie Altman is looking for new counsel. Their withdrawal requires approval by the court before it can take effect.
Sam Altman has denied the allegations contained in the lawsuit, which accuse him of sexually abusing and raping his sister at various times between 1997 and 2006 at the family home in suburban Clayton, Missouri. The complaint alleges the abuse began when Annie Altman was three and Sam Altman was 12.
Attorneys for Sam Altman did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Contact information for Annie Altman was not immediately available.
The Altman family has publicly said Annie Altman has mental health challenges and that she received financial support from family members. Sam Altman, who is now 41, has said his sister began posting accusations on social media after the family rejected what he described as an extortionate demand for more money.
Sam Altman has countersued his sister for defamation over social media posts, including a video that referred to "an almost tech billionaire" as having molested her, and is seeking $1 in damages in that countersuit.
The civil litigation involving the siblings is separate from a different lawsuit brought by Elon Musk that accuses OpenAI and Sam Altman of abandoning OpenAI's original nonprofit mission. Jury selection in that separate case began on Monday in federal court in Oakland, California.
Sam Altman rose to prominence in the artificial intelligence sector after the 2022 release of the chatbot ChatGPT, and Forbes has estimated his net worth at $3.5 billion.
As the case proceeds, the withdrawal of two law firms introduces immediate procedural questions about who will represent Annie Altman going forward and how quickly a new attorney can be secured and approved by the court.