“Scam Altman”: what OpenAI’s CEO and Worldcoin co-founder Is accused of

A new trend is gaining traction on X, targeting OpenAI CEO and Worldcoin co-founder Sam Altman. According to GetBlock AML Research, criticism has escalated across the board—even from Elon Musk.

It started with a major investigation

A New Yorker article by Ronan Farrow and Andrew Marantz (published April 6, 2026) details a wide range of allegations about Altman’s conduct at OpenAI. The claims are based on interviews with more than 100 sources, internal documents—including roughly 70 pages of memos from Ilya Sutskever—Slack messages, HR records, and board communications.

The central claim is a consistent pattern: misleading statements, distorted facts, lack of transparency with leadership and the board (especially on safety issues), and internal power plays. According to the report, these issues were long-standing and played a key role in Altman’s brief removal in 2023, followed by his rapid return. Sources—including former board members and executives such as the Amodei siblings—raised serious concerns about his reliability as a leader in AGI development. Altman has disputed or said he does not recall several of the incidents.

Below are some of the key allegations highlighted in the report:

• Sutskever’s 70-page memo (Fall 2023): The document compiles Slack messages, HR materials, and internal notes, alleging that Altman misled leadership and the board about safety protocols. It reportedly begins by describing a “pattern,” with “lying” listed first. These materials were shared with board members and influenced the decision to remove him.
• Alleged pressure on Mira Murati (November 2023): Shortly after his removal, Altman allegedly told Murati that his supporters were actively seeking damaging information on her and others. He later said he does not remember the conversation.
• Conflicting promises about Greg Brockman’s role: Altman reportedly told some researchers Brockman’s authority would be reduced, while privately maintaining a separate agreement. He disputes this interpretation.
• Microsoft deal controversy (2019): After agreeing to safety conditions tied to Microsoft’s $1B investment, a clause reportedly appeared allowing Microsoft to block mergers—contradicting OpenAI’s charter. Altman initially denied its existence.
• Allegations involving the Amodei siblings: Altman accused them of attempting a “coup,” citing a source that later denied the claim. Altman later reframed the issue as “political behavior.”
• GPT-4 safety concerns (2022): Altman reportedly told the board certain features were approved, though some were not.
• ChatGPT rollout in India: The board was not informed that an early version had launched without full safety review.
• GPT-4 Turbo safety claims (2023): Altman said no safety review was required, citing legal guidance that was later disputed internally.
• Internal tensions and undisclosed ties: Some board members alleged he created divisions among executives and failed to disclose financial relationships. Altman denies this.
• Post-removal response: During a call with the board, Altman reportedly rejected claims of misconduct, calling them “completely wrong.”

The article also paints a broader picture: sources claim Altman often gave different accounts to different people. Some described him as unconstrained by the truth—an image that contrasts with his public stance on AI safety. An internal review reportedly found multiple instances of inconsistent communication.

Altman has argued that his approach reflects pragmatism, not deception, and has since emphasized the need for higher standards of transparency in AI leadership.

All claims remain allegations from insiders—many supported by documents—but none have been proven in court. The article ultimately raises a larger question: can Altman be trusted with the future of AGI, given the scale of responsibility?

Elon Musk weighs in

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has long been critical of Altman and OpenAI. He founded xAI as a competitor, which later released its own model, Grok.

Following the report, Musk renewed his criticism. In a post on April 27, he referred to Altman as “Scam Altman.”

Source: X.com

Worldcoin controversy resurfaces

On-chain investigator ZachXBT also weighed in, pointing to Altman’s involvement in Worldcoin—a crypto project that rewarded users with WLD tokens in exchange for biometric iris data.

Source: X.com

ZachXBT argues the project exploited users in lower-income regions by collecting sensitive biometric data. He claims Worldcoin failed to deliver a reliable identity system and instead enabled a black market for verified accounts. He also compared the project to the collapsed FTX exchange and drew parallels between Altman and Sam Bankman-Fried.

Notably, ZachXBT had raised concerns as early as 2021, warning that Worldcoin used aggressive, multi-level marketing-style tactics often seen in questionable projects.