Suspect in Altman Attack Referenced CEO Killer in Anti-AI Discord Chat
The individual accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail at the San Francisco residence of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman allegedly suggested "Luigi'ing some tech CEOs" in a conversation on an anti-AI Discord server last December. According to screenshots obtained by The Hill, suspect Daniel Moreno-Gama reportedly referenced accused killer Luigi Mangione while inquiring about whether discussions of violence were permitted on the server. Mangione is currently awaiting trial for the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in late 2024.
Arrest and Charges
Moreno-Gama was apprehended near the North Beach neighborhood headquarters of OpenAI last Friday, where he was allegedly "threatening to burn down the building." San Francisco Police identified him as the same person involved in an incident at Altman's home earlier that morning. He was subsequently charged with attempted murder and attempted arson.
As the top executive at the company behind ChatGPT, Altman stands as one of the most recognized, respected, and reviled figures from Silicon Valley's artificial intelligence boom. The screenshots of Moreno-Gama's comments were captured by a team member from the investigative podcast "The Last Invention," who connected with Moreno-Gama online and later arranged for him to be interviewed on the show.
Downplaying Remarks in Interview
During the recorded interview, Moreno-Gama went on to downplay his remarks, telling host Andy Mills that what he said "shouldn't be taken too literally." "People kind of say that all the time. I didn't really mean that as a threat or anything," he reportedly stated in audio shared with The Hill.
Mills reportedly followed up by suggesting his guest was attempting to be "provocative," allegedly prompting Moreno-Gama to respond, "Yes, that's kind of my idea. I'd rather be provocative with my statements than actually promote something like that." When Mills then asked, "So you don't really think it would be wise for someone to say 'let's kill Sam Altman?'" Moreno-Gama answered "no" and later added that "it's not worth it."
Connection to Previous CEO Murder Case
In a piece published by The Free Press on Wednesday, Mills recalled Moreno-Gama telling him that while he did not condone health insurance CEO Thompson's murder, he felt that what he and others "saw with Mangione" was that "a lot of people were able to excuse it." "I think that's interesting," he reportedly added. This connection highlights the disturbing parallels drawn between high-profile violent acts against corporate leaders and the rhetoric found in online forums critical of technological advancements.
