Daniel Moreno-Gama has been formally charged with attempted damage and destruction of property via explosives, as well as possession of an unregistered firearm. These charges stem from a violent incident that occurred on April 10 in San Francisco, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California. If convicted, Moreno-Gama faces a serious legal consequence, including a mandatory minimum of five years in prison. The explosives charge carries a potential maximum penalty of 20 years, while the firearm charge could lead to an additional 10 years, according to prosecutors.
In a strong statement, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche emphasized the severe implications of such actions, asserting that “violence cannot be the norm for expressing disagreement.” He noted that the alleged attacks could have resulted in significant property damage and even loss of life, adding that such behavior would be met with vigorous prosecution.
The timeline of the events began early on the morning of April 10 when the San Francisco police were dispatched to a North Beach residence due to a reported fire around 4:12 a.m. Initial investigations revealed, through surveillance footage, that a man fitting Moreno-Gama’s description was seen throwing a lit Molotov cocktail at the property shortly before 3:37 a.m. This act ignited a fire on a driveway gate before the suspect fled the scene.
Approximately an hour later, Moreno-Gama was purportedly seen at OpenAI’s headquarters on Third Street, where he violently attacked the building’s glass doors with a chair. According to a federal criminal complaint, he reportedly declared his intentions to burn down the facility and kill anyone inside. Law enforcement responded quickly and detained him at the headquarters, discovering incendiary devices, a jug of kerosene, and a lighter in his possession.
Additionally, investigators uncovered a document titled “Your Last Warning,” which expressed strong opposition to artificial intelligence and detailed plans for violence against individuals associated with the technology sector, specifically naming various CEOs and investors. The document included a threatening message directed at a particular executive, stating, “If by some miracle you live, then I would take this as a sign from the divine to redeem yourself.”
Moreover, it was revealed that Moreno-Gama had sent an email containing a version of this document to contacts at his former college in Texas on the same day as the incidents.
U.S. Attorney Craig Missakian remarked that this case might be classified as domestic terrorism, pending further evidence that the attacks aimed to influence public policy or intimidate government officials and other authorities. The situation remains under close observation as the case progresses through the legal system.
