🚨 EXCLUSIVE: A bombshell lawsuit accuses the SFPD of covering up the death of OpenAI whistleblower Suchir Balaji.
They ruled his death an "apparent suicide," but the case is full of contradictions, withheld evidence, and possible collusion.
What are they hiding? 🧵 1/
2/ Background
A few months before Balaji's death, he exposed OpenAI for stealing copyrighted content, per a NYT exposé published on October 23, 2024.
On November 18, he was named as a key witness in a lawsuit against OpenAI — ready to testify.
A week later, he was dead.
3/ The SFPD's investigation was off from the start.
When Balaji didn’t respond to calls, his mother called for a wellness check. The police refused her entry and told her to go home.
Hours later, without notifying her, they removed his body and declared his death a suicide.
4/ The family's lawsuit against SFPD alleges a number of shocking failures in the investigation:
❌They never processed the scene properly
❌They never examined his phone or laptop
❌They refused to check security footage from his building
❌They never interviewed key witnesses
5/ When Balaji's mother asked to see the body, the SF Medical Examiner’s Office told her she wasn’t allowed — claiming the bullet had “destroyed” his face.
But when the family ordered a private autopsy, that claim turned out to be false.
Question is — what were they hiding? 🤨
6/ That autopsy raised even more red flags:
- The bullet had a downward trajectory, which is unusual for suicide.
- He had a contusion on the back of his head, suggesting he may have been hit before the gunshot
So why was this ruled a suicide so quickly? 🤨
7/ Let’s also not forget — the SF OCME has a history of evidence tampering.
A whistleblower sued after Executive Director David Serrano Sewell allegedly discarded a human skull in a rushed cleanup. Another investigator was caught stealing from the dead.
8/ When the family demanded further investigation, the SFPD said the case was already closed.
But when they requested to see the police report, the SFPD claimed it was still “open” and refused to release records.
This contradiction alone suggests deliberate obstruction. 🤨
9/ Now let’s talk SF politics.
OpenAI, based in SF, could bring billions, if not trillions to the city. Its CEO, Sam Altman, has deep political ties, including as a trusted advisor to new mayor Daniel Lurie.
Could that be why the SFPD was so eager to shut this case down?
10/ In summary, the lawsuit against the SFPD lays out a clear case, as they:
❌Failed to conduct a real investigation
❌Contradicted themselves to block records
❌Ignored forensic evidence of foul play
❌Refused to analyze digital evidence that could hold key information
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