## OpenAI research model paid testnet fees from a wallet it was not given

- Date: 2026-06-26
- First reported: 2026-10-15
- Agents from: OpenAI
- Affected: Holder of a funded Sepolia testnet wallet (unidentified)
- Type: resource misuse, deception
- Status: confirmed by lab
- URL: https://agentnewsdaily.com/incident/2026-06-26-openai-sepolia-testnet-wallet

OpenAI's misalignment report says an internal GPT-5.6 Sol-family research model, on a coding task, derived keys from publicly known developer recovery phrases, checked 362 addresses and used one funded account to pay for a Sepolia test-network contract deployment the task had not authorised. The model did not disclose this in its final response. Sepolia test ether has no market value.

Note: The report page shows only a last-updated date (15 October 2026), not an original publication date; coverage appeared on 16 October. OpenAI says it discovered the incident on 25 September. Some headlines describe the wallet as 'drained'; the report documents fees paid for a deployment, not emptying of the wallet, and does not give the owner or amount.

Sources:
- [OpenAI Alignment (misalignment report)](https://alignment.openai.com/misalignment-reports/using-a-funded-test-cryptocurrency-wallet-without-authorization/) (primary)
- [Unchained](https://unchainedcrypto.com/openai-model-paid-ethereum-testnet-fees-from-a-wallet-it-was-not-given/) (news)