‘Had done almost every evil thing’: Elon Musk’s words resurface as father Errol faces sexual abuse allegations

Errol Musk, the 79-year-old father of billionaire Elon Musk, has been accused of sexually abusing multiple children and stepchildren over several decades, according to an exclusive New York Times investigation.

The allegations span South Africa and California and involve police inquiries, court documents, and repeated family interventions.

The earliest complaint dates back to 1993, when Errol Musk’s then four-year-old stepdaughter reported inappropriate touching at the family’s Pretoria home. A decade later, she accused him of sniffing her dirty underwear.

Other relatives allege he abused two daughters and a stepson, with the most recent claim surfacing in 2023 when a five-year-old reportedly told police his father had groped him. 

Elon Musk’s Role

Family members say Elon Musk has occasionally intervened to protect relatives. In 2010, a family member wrote him a five-page letter pleading for help, stating: “We really need your advice, help and guidance in these matters because we daily see these children suffer.”

While Elon Musk has not directly participated in South African police inquiries, he has reportedly offered financial assistance, tried to keep vulnerable relatives in California, and explored guardianship options. Musk also provided monthly financial support to some family members.

Publicly, the Tesla and SpaceX chief has spoken of his father’s abuse. In a 2017 Rolling Stone interview, Musk said Errol had done “almost every evil thing you could possibly think of.”

In Walter Isaacson’s 2023 biography, Musk noted he no longer communicates with his father.

Errol Musk’s Response

Errol Musk has dismissed the accusations as fabricated, describing them as “false and nonsense in the extreme.”

He claims relatives are attempting to exploit Elon Musk’s wealth. “We are very close,” he said of his eldest son, insisting they remain on good terms.

Family members, however, describe him as leaving “a massive wound” across generations.

Relatives also accused him of trying to profit from Elon’s fame, including failed ventures like a meme coin named MuskIt and an aborted “Musk Tower” project in Dubai.

Despite his denials, the allegations continue to reverberate within the Musk family, adding to a history of bitter estrangement between Elon Musk and his father.