OpenAI warns FBI after ex-Goldman Sachs analyst told ChatGPT he planned to murder his ex-girlfriend

A former Goldman Sachs analyst who allegedly used ChatGPT to discuss plans to murder, rape and abduct his former girlfriend has been sentenced to eight years’ probation after pleading guilty to three charges.

According to local media reports and court records, Darren Zhou began using ChatGPT in March after ending a six-month relationship with the woman.

Investigators said his conversations initially concerned the breakup, her hobbies, places she visited and his jealousy of other men around her.

The messages allegedly escalated into threats of rape, murder and murder-suicide. Zhou reportedly told ChatGPT he intended to wait outside the woman’s gym with flowers.

If she rejected him, he said he would "draw a gun, kill her, then shoot myself".

Court records also describe messages in which Zhou allegedly wrote: "I'm gonna kill her by the end of this month" and "If I can't have her then nobody can."

In another exchange, he allegedly said he would "rape her with the gun too".

Alleged preparations and harassment

Investigators said Zhou described a plan to force his former girlfriend at gunpoint to drive to his home in South Palm Beach, where he allegedly intended to sexually assault and hold her hostage.

He reportedly said that if police arrived, he would "shoot her repeatedly" before killing himself.

Zhou also told ChatGPT that he had bought an AR-15-style rifle, a Glock handgun and a 12-gauge shotgun. He allegedly said he had sent his former girlfriend photographs of guns, zip ties and latex gloves.

"I texted her I was gonna rape her tonight," he reportedly told the chatbot.

Meanwhile, investigators said Zhou continued contacting the woman through calls, text messages and social-media accounts after she ended the relationship.

The woman, a 21-year-old from Lake Worth Beach, told deputies she ended the relationship because of Zhou's "erratic, jealous and controlling behaviour". She said she broke up with him by telephone because she feared his reaction.

She blocked him on one Thursday, but he allegedly contacted her from another number the following day, apologising for overwhelming her. He also contacted her through Instagram before being blocked there.

Investigators said he continued using various app-generated telephone numbers. The woman saved screenshots of messages that she described as harassing, insulting, sexual and threatening.

On her 21st birthday, Zhou allegedly wrote: "Can't wait to see you later tonight ;)." Another message said: "Can't wait to smell you."

One message sent while she was at a West Palm Beach gym contained the gym's name and nothing else. Other messages allegedly included lewd photographs and threats of rape.

The woman told deputies that lingering feelings for Zhou and a "misguided hope" that ignoring him would stop the harassment had initially prevented her from reporting him.

OpenAI report leads to investigation

While the woman was documenting the alleged messages, Zhou was again communicating with ChatGPT. "She hasn't received any of the threats etc," he allegedly wrote.

According to the Palm Beach Post, OpenAI reported the conversations to the FBI. Federal agents subsequently provided Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office investigators with two months of Zhou's chat logs in May.

A deputy who reviewed the material said the messages were not "vague emotional outbursts", but showed what the deputy regarded as a pattern of rehearsal and planning.

The logs contained only Zhou's messages and not ChatGPT's responses, according to the material cited in the reports.

Deputies then conducted a welfare check on the woman, who provided investigators with her account and saved screenshots of the alleged communications.

Zhou was arrested in May and spent two days in Palm Beach County jail before posting US$100,000 bail.

Court resolution

Assistant State Attorney Ana Cuskova charged Zhou in June with aggravated stalking, written threats to kill and illegal use of a mobile phone. The offences were described as felonies carrying a potential sentence of up to 25 years in prison.

Zhou pleaded guilty to all three charges on 13 August following a negotiated agreement with prosecutors.

The agreement spared him prison and a felony conviction. Circuit Judge Scott Suskauer withheld adjudication and imposed eight years of probation.

Zhou must wear an ankle monitor for the first two years, complete a batterer intervention programme and undergo a mental health evaluation.

He is also prohibited from using drugs or alcohol, possessing guns and contacting his former girlfriend. Violating the conditions could return him to court.

Suskauer said he accepted the agreement because Zhou's former girlfriend had approved it.

"Get over it and move on," the judge told Zhou. "There are other people in the world."

The judge added that no one deserved the conduct to which the woman had been subjected.

Prosecutors and defence respond

State Attorney's Office spokesperson Marc Freeman said prosecutors consider factors including the strength of evidence, victim cooperation, criminal history and statutory limitations when resolving cases.

He did not identify which factor was decisive in Zhou's case, saying the outcome was determined by experienced prosecutors.

Zhou's lawyer, Steven Bell, described the agreement as an "extremely fair and just resolution".

Bell highlighted Zhou's graduation magna cum laude from Northeastern University in Boston and his lack of a previous criminal record.

He also said Zhou did not own firearms, despite the alleged ChatGPT messages in which Zhou claimed to have acquired several weapons. That difference is a significant point requiring consideration when assessing the allegations.

Goldman Sachs was reported to have fired Zhou after learning about the situation.