Jeffrey Epstein Advised an Elon Musk Associate on Taking Tesla Private
For Elon Muskthe US Justice Department's release of 3 million additional files related to criminal investigations of Jeffrey Epstein last month was immediately embarrassing. The attention fell mainly on emails that Musk sent the financier several years after he pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution and procuring minors to participate in prostitution in Florida and registered as a sex offender.
“Which day/night will be the wildest party on your island?” Musk wrote in November 2012, for example, appeared for an invitation to look for Little Saint James, Epstein's private island in the Caribbean.
While there has been no confirmation that such a visit occurred, the reports contradict Musk's longstanding insistence that he did not know Epstein well and had always rejected his convictions. Other files show that a Musk employee spent weeks corresponding with Epstein behind the scenes of a major drama for Tesla and its meddlesome CEO.
Musk did not return a request for comment.
A batch of emails reviewed by WIRED shows that in 2018, after Musk posted on social media that he “consideration to take Tesla private” in a move that never came to fruition, one of the CEO's surrogates was tapping Epstein for advice on financing the deal and potential board members for a reorganized Tesla. They also went back and forth about Musk's leadership qualities.
Musk had a tough time in 2018, plagued by challenges at his companies, while his increasingly erratic behavior on social media seemed to take its toll on his public image. That June, as the world anxiously awaited the rescue of a Thai youth soccer team trapped in an underwater cave, he had decided to get involved himself. What he offered was a miniature submersible that he claimed could transport the children to safety through narrow underwater tunnels. The idea was dismissed as impractical, with one cave diver dismissing it as a publicity stunt. Musk slammed this guy on Twitter, calling him a “pedo guy.” He later deleted the post and apologized, but doubled down on the insult in emails to BuzzFeed News, which published them.
The incident led to the person filing a lawsuit against Musk, alleging defamation, and Musk eventually won the lawsuit a year later. But amid the unfolding PR disaster, Musk took advice of the high-powered lobbyist and consultant Juleanna Glover as he sought to limit blowback. It was Glover who would later backchannel with Epstein about a plan to take Tesla private.
The idea to buy Tesla was sketchily outlined in another now infamous Musk tweet. “I'm thinking of taking Tesla private for $420,” he placed on August 7, 2018, adding: “Fund secured.” In fact, he had not secured those funds, and on September 27, the US Securities and Exchange Commission filed fraud charges against Musk, alleging “security fraud for a series of false and misleading tweets.” Musk quickly established to the voice of a $20 million finewith Tesla paying an equal fine, and stepping down as chairman of the electric car company. (Musk still did not admit the truth of the SEC's allegations.)
In the weeks between Musk's reckless tweet and the SEC complaint, Glover worked behind the scenes to make the deal a reality — and sought Epstein's advice, emails released by the DOJ show.
“If you advise on: sovereign wealth funds looking to help a leading company go private, please let me know if I can help apply additional information,” Glover wrote to Epstein on August 12. Epstein replied, “Clever.”
