Estranged wife ‘manipulated and encouraged' by ChatGPT to poison husband, lawsuit claimsCharlie Jones Sat, November 7, 2026 at 10:07 AM UTC
James Gates has levelled some sinister accusations at his estranged wife (Image: USA Today)
A man is suing OpenAI over claims their AI chatbot ChatGPT told his estranged wife how to poison him.
James Gates, of Charlotte, North Carolina, fell severely ill in July last year but thankfully recovered. He claimed he later found a handwritten note penned by his wife, Cheryl Harris Gate, outlining a plan to poison him and even a reminder to delete her ChatGPT history.
In October 2025, Harris Gates was charged with attempted murder and contaminating food or drink with a controlled substance but the district attorney's office dropped the charges for lack of evidence. But the civil lawsuit, launched by her husband, claims ChatGPT "manipulated and encouraged" Harris Gates to poison her husband.
OpenAI, the company behind the ChatGPT bot, said that Harris Gates had been banned from using it (Image: Getty)
An OpenAI spokesperson said "safety is a top priority" and that Harris Gates had been banned from the platform.
According to the suit, Harris Gates began using the chatbot to help with work evaluations while working for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.
But by the summer, the suit says, she began relying on the tech for everything from children's activities to venting frustration about her marriage.
"During this same period the couple's marriage had come under increasing strain, primarily driven by finances," the suit says. Although they had discussed divorce, no further steps had been taken.
Gates now has temporary custody of the children (Image: USA Today)
But the lawsuit claims ChatGPT began "feeding Cheryl's increasing mistrust and delusions about her husband spying on her and planning to leave her and her kids with nothing."
The legal suit claims she began portraying her husband as "narcissistic" and "controlling." She went on to ask "about how to poison her husband, including what dosages and drugs to use and combine for his weight," and how to cover up the purchases.
In one conversation with the suit, she asked about how much of the toxic plant oleander would be lethal. She reportedly framed her questions out of fear her husband would be using it to poison her.
ChatGPT allegedly outlined how the toxic plant could be prepared and dosed, how the plant's bitter taste could be hidden with energy drinks, and whether it would show up on an autopsy.
Other options explored by Harris Gates, the lawsuit claims, include where to buy castor beans, the main source of the deadly poison ricin.
In July 2025, her husband said his heart started racing, he developed extreme jitters and began uncontrollably shaking. He said that the symptoms were so bad he couldn't leave his couch for days.
He told USA Today that he found the note after his wife moved out. But she left a notebook and when James picked it up the piece of paper detailing the plan fell out. He is now separated from his wife and has temporary custody of the children.
The lawsuit also claims liquid droppers, syringes, a scale and gloves were found at their home during a police search.
Source: Crime
