Allegations of sexual abuse against Elon Musk's father Errol Musk detailed by The New York Times

The New York Times details decades of accusations that Errol Musk, 79, the father of tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, sexually abused five of his children and stepchildren dating back to 1993. The Times cites police and court records, personal correspondence, social workers and interviews with relatives, saying the allegations include an incident in which a four-year-old stepdaughter was touched at a family home in Pretoria and later had a child with him. The Times notes more than 50 letters and emails, and interviews with relatives, suggesting a long-running pattern of alleged abuse spanning South Africa and California. Three police investigations were opened over the years, but none resulted in a conviction.

Other household allegations include sniffing a young relative’s underwear about a decade after the 1993 incident, and claims of abuse involving a stepson and two of Errol Musk’s daughters. In 2002, the family traveled to California, where discussions about the alleged abuses appeared in correspondence and social-work notes; in 2009, a five-year-old son accused him of groping his buttocks, prompting involvement by social workers and relatives. A Los Angeles case involved a former stepdaughter who sought protection orders in 2009–2011, and authorities were involved; a restraining order was issued in 2009, though prosecutors later said they dropped the case for insufficient evidence. The Times notes Elon Musk was not involved in the investigations in South Africa.

Elon Musk’s relationship with his father has long been tense. The billionaire has repeatedly kept his distance publicly and rarely discussed the allegations in depth, though family members have sought help from him over the years. The Times says Elon Musk provided financial support to two half-sisters and a former stepmother and reportedly attempted to keep the stepfamily in California to shield them from Errol Musk. He has also helped a former stepdaughter with monthly support and purchased a car for her, according to the Times.

Errol Musk has vigorously denied the allegations, telling The New York Times they are “false and nonsense in the extreme” and arguing that the accusations are “concocted” by relatives seeking money from Elon Musk. He has said he had a “positive relationship” with Elon and insisted the two are “very close” in messages cited by the Times. He acknowledges a single abuse accusation in some accounts and has offered defenses in others, while continuing to deny wrongdoing in several of the other allegations.

Public interest in the report has grown as Elon Musk, the SpaceX and Tesla chief, has faced scrutiny for his family ties and past; in a 2023 authorized biography by Walter Isaacson, Musk said he was described as being “creeped out and furious” by his father at times and indicated he ended contact. The Times’ reporting drew on more than 50 personal letters and emails and interviews with relatives; it also notes that Elon Musk had offered to assist with guardianship for children to protect them, but his involvement in police cases was limited. In recent months, relatives have criticized Errol Musk for attempting to capitalize on the family name, including his involvement in a meme coin and plans for a Musk tower in Dubai, which some family members view as efforts to profit from the Musk brand.

The Times indicates three police investigations opened over three decades; two ended, and the third’s outcome was unclear. Prosecutors dropped the cases because of insufficient evidence. The Times did not publish the names of individuals involved but described a sprawling family history that includes Errol Musk’s marriages and children, his moves between South Africa and the United States, and the complex web of relationships that have shaped Elon Musk’s life and career.