OpenAI Project Camellia Faces Georgia RICO Suit Over $20B Campus

OpenAI's Project Camellia, an Effingham County, Georgia, data center campus reported at about $20 billion, is the target of a Nov. 6 suit by three residents alleging fraud, civil conspiracy and violations of Georgia's civil RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) Act, WTOC and the Effingham Herald reported.

Dr. Michelle Finch-Mincey, Lehman Mincey Jr. and Raymond Carver filed in Effingham County State Court. The Herald counts 44 pages; WTOC says nearly 50. The defendants are OpenAI OpCo LLC, OpenAI's affiliate Octans GA LLC, Savannah Industrial Development LLC, the Effingham County Industrial Development Authority (IDA), IDA chief executive Brandt Herndon, County Manager Tim Callanan and all six county commissioners: Damon Rahn, Forrest Floyd, Roger Burdette, Jamie DeLoach, Elizabeth Helmly and Phil Kieffer. The county's decision is still open: commissioners voted on Nov. 3 to table the site plan until Nov. 17, as Voltgrid reported on Nov. 4. According to the Herald, the complaint seeks money, not an order halting construction.

What the Project Camellia Complaint Alleges

All of the following are untested allegations, not findings by a court. WTOC reports 11 counts, among them fraudulent concealment, fraud and misrepresentation, civil conspiracy, breach of mandatory legal duties, procuring injury and a Georgia RICO count.

The plaintiffs allege the defendants kept the project and land deal from residents until decisions were effectively made. They say the IDA chief executive signed a nondisclosure agreement with OpenAI on Oct. 27, 2025, and that OpenAI later circulated such agreements to other officials, including the county manager. They allege the IDA met on July 21 under an agenda naming only "Project Gateway," went into closed session for over an hour, and unanimously approved a memorandum of understanding with Octans. Three days later, on July 24, a deed conveying about 1,440 acres to Octans was signed for recited consideration of $10, the complaint says, with Savannah Industrial Development LLC signing for the IDA under a 2016 power of attorney. They allege commissioners adopted Ordinance 2026-352 on Aug. 4 without the two public hearings required by the county zoning ordinance and state law, after presenting it as a technical correction.

The RICO count names seven defendants, the Herald reports: the OpenAI-related companies, Callanan, Herndon, Rahn and Burdette. It alleges a scheme of false statements, concealment, perjury and forgery. The Herald notes it cites no specific sworn testimony or forged document for the last two.

Damages Sought and Responses

The plaintiffs seek a jury trial, compensatory and punitive damages, attorney's fees and litigation costs, with no dollar figure stated, and three times actual damages from the defendants named in the RICO count. They say the project has hurt their property values and that offers on nearby homes have fallen or been withdrawn.

A spokesperson for the Board of Commissioners told WTOC and the Herald the board does not comment on pending litigation. The IDA told the Herald it is aware of the suit but not yet served, and will respond through the legal process. WTOC said OpenAI had not responded to its request for comment, and WSB-TV reported it had asked the defendants for comment.

What Is Not Confirmed Yet

The Herald calls this the third challenge to government action on Camellia; WSB-TV the second against OpenAI. The same plaintiffs' September zoning suit is still pending, and WTOC reports the defendants there have moved to dismiss it.

Tom's Hardware, drawing on the Herald on Nov. 11, gives the campus a planned compute capacity of 3.2 gigawatts across five phases, and OpenAI said on Nov. 5 it would end NDAs with officials at future sites, as Voltgrid reported. The site plan returns at the Nov. 17 commission meeting.