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Saudi engineer Abdulrahman Alfozan, reportedly OpenAI's first Saudi employee, has pleaded not guilty to allegations of planting a listening device at the ChatGPT maker's headquarters. Meanwhile, Lebanese dating app Taaruf has landed a $400,000 Shark Tank offer after reaching 80,000 monthly users without paid advertising. In Libya, the country's top religious authority has issued a fatwa against buying, selling and wearing Nike-branded clothing, citing religious concerns and the company's alleged support for Israel.

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Saudi Engineer Accused of Spying at OpenAI Pleads Not Guilty in US Court

What Happened

Saudi engineer Abdulrahman Alfozan, reportedly the first Saudi employee at OpenAI, pleaded not guilty in San Francisco federal court on November 6. The 35-year-old was arrested on October 9 after prosecutors accused him of planting an audio recording device inside an executive conference room at the ChatGPT maker headquarters. A grand jury indicted him on October 27 on one count of intercepting oral communications.

Why It Matters

The case has drawn attention to security concerns surrounding sensitive AI research as US technology companies compete to protect proprietary systems. Alfozan previously worked at Meta, interned at Microsoft and SAP, and founded a Silicon Valley startup before joining OpenAI in July 2025. He also became a venture partner at Saudi-based RAED Ventures in 2025. OpenAI said it found no indication that customer data, source code or model weights were stolen.

What's Next

Alfozan remains in federal custody after a judge denied bail, citing concerns that he could leave the United States. His next court appearance is scheduled for November 17. His defence has challenged the prosecution's account and previously proposed supervised release conditions. The allegations remain unproven, with Alfozan maintaining his not-guilty plea as proceedings continue.

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This Lebanese Dating App Founded by Kamal Frenn Just Secured a $400,000 Offer on Shark Tank

What Happened

Lebanese entrepreneur Kamal Frenn, founder of dating app Taaruf, secured a $400,000 investment offer for a 30% stake from Georges Karam on Shark Tank Lebanon in October 2026. Founded in 2025 and based in Zahle, the platform connects Lebanese singles seeking serious relationships, both locally and across the diaspora. Taaruf has grown to 80,000 monthly active users and 13,000 daily users without paid advertising.

Why It Matters

Taaruf has built a social media following of approximately 700,000, demonstrating how community-driven marketing can support startup growth without traditional advertising budgets. Unlike dating platforms that prioritise keeping users engaged, Taaruf measures success through relationships formed. Approximately 5,000 users have reported deleting the app after finding a partner, positioning successful matchmaking as a key measure of performance.

What's Next

The $400,000 Shark Tank offer could provide Taaruf with additional capital to expand its matchmaking services and reach more Lebanese singles internationally, although the final investment status remains unconfirmed. The company already combines its mobile platform with offline matchmaking events, verified profiles and community activities. Its next challenge will be converting rapid organic growth into a sustainable business while maintaining its focus on long-term relationships.

Libya's Top Religious Authority Issues Fatwa Against Nike Clothing

What Happened

Libya's highest religious authority, the Tripoli-based Dar al-Ifta, has issued a fatwa prohibiting Muslims from buying, selling or wearing Nike-branded clothing. The institution argues that the American sportswear company takes its name from the Greek goddess of victory, while its swoosh logo draws inspiration from her wings. The ruling, approved by Grand Mufti Sadiq al-Gharyani, considers displaying the logo an association with polytheistic symbolism.

Why It Matters

The religious committee also accused Nike of supporting Israel, referencing its November 2023 call to boycott Western companies it considers supportive of Israel during the Gaza genocide. Nike-branded products remain popular across Libya, including counterfeit merchandise sold through local retailers. The ruling could influence consumer behaviour and demand, although Nike does not operate an official store in Libya.

What's Next

The fatwa does not constitute a government ban, and no penalties have been announced for those continuing to wear or sell Nike products. Libya remains politically divided between rival authorities in the east and west, limiting the nationwide enforceability of religious rulings. The Dar al-Ifta previously issued a similar ruling against Van Cleef & Arpels jewellery, citing religious objections to its four-leaf clover design.

👨‍💻From Smashi Business’ Desk

• Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) CEO Mohammed Saif Al-Sowaidi has publicly addressed the sovereign wealth fund’s participation in the $110 billion Skydance-Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery deal for the first time.⁠

• Egyptian-American creator Kareem, the man behind viral interview series @subwaytakes, has been named one of just 25 winners of the 2026 Instagram Rings Awards.

• A $12 chicken sandwich has sparked a debate over wealth and inequality in Lebanon.

• An Islamic brokerage founder says Anthropic wouldn’t make the cut on his app.

• An Emirati AI company has outperformed Microsoft, ElevenLabs, Google and OpenAI in Arabic speech recognition accuracy.

🔍In other news…

• Karen Wazen Collection Just Expanded to Egypt With Two New Stores

• Saudi's PIF, Silver Lake have held recent talks to buy gaming software provider Unity, sources say

• U.S. Offers $20 Million Reward for Iran Nuclear Secrets

• GCC rejects US claim Hormuz could become ‘worthless’

• Aramco's Q3 profit rises by a third despite attacks

• Saudi Arabia Pushes Ahead With IPO Rule Changes Despite Banker Warnings

• Dubai's Emaar plans offer to buy out construction arm in $3.4 billion deal

• US President Donald Trump says Washington will stop giving Israel $4 billion annually after this year

• UN shipping chief criticises huge payouts for crews risking Hormuz

🦄 World of Startups

• NoorNation: Egypt-based cleantech startup NoorNation raised $1.05 million in seed funding from Linah Farms, Catalyst Fund and KBW Ventures to expand its solar-powered irrigation and desalination solutions.

• Silkhaus: UAE-based short-term rental startup Silkhaus is winding down its holiday-home business in the country, with owner agreements set to end on November 11, 2026.

• MNT-Halan: Egyptian fintech MNT-Halan received a $71.2 million capital injection from its parent company, MNT Investments BV, increasing the parent’s stake to 80.47% shortly after the fintech’s $139.5 million IPO.

• Alpha Dhabi: UAE-based Alpha Dhabi Holding committed $1 billion to Alpha Wave III, a global investment fund managed by Alpha Wave Global that focuses on high-growth companies, with AI at its core.

• Mubadala Capital: UAE-based Mubadala Capital secured a minority equity investment from US asset manager Apollo Global Management, which manages $1.05 trillion in assets, with the investment value undisclosed.

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