Elon Musk's father accused of sexually abusing his children and stepchildren for decades
Although three separate police investigations were opened, Errol Musk has never been convicted of a crime. He has repeatedly denied the accusations, calling them “false and nonsense in the extreme”
Elon Musk's estrangement from his father, Errol Musk, has long been a subject of speculation, but a New York Times investigation has revealed allegations of child sexual abuse involving the elder Musk that cast new light on the fractured family dynamic.
According to the report, Errol Musk, now 79, has been accused of sexually abusing five of his children and stepchildren in both South Africa and California.
The allegations, dating back three decades, have been documented in police and court records, personal correspondence, and interviews with relatives and social workers. Although three separate police investigations were opened, Errol Musk has never been convicted of a crime. He has repeatedly denied the accusations, calling them "false and nonsense in the extreme."
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The earliest allegation dates to 1993 when Errol Musk's four-year-old stepdaughter told relatives that he had touched her inappropriately at the family home in Pretoria. A decade later, the same stepdaughter accused him of sniffing her dirty underwear. Other family members have alleged that he abused two daughters and a stepson.
As recently as 2023, a social worker and relatives intervened after his then five-year-old son claimed that his father had groped him. Prosecutors later dropped the case for lack of evidence.
The accusations have repeatedly drawn Elon Musk into his family's private turmoil.
Around 2010, one relative wrote to him in a five-page letter pleading for his involvement: "We really need your advice, help, and guidance in these matters because we daily see these children suffer." It is unclear if the Tesla and SpaceX chief read the letter, but an assistant later messaged a family member in response to the allegations. Elon Musk has also provided financial support to his siblings and stepfamily, including paying for housing, education, and monthly allowances.
Errol Musk has had three marriages and at least nine children and stepchildren. His third marriage to Heide-Mari Bezuidenhout has been particularly fraught.
In 1993, her daughter from a previous marriage accused Errol of abuse, sparking a police investigation. Although charges were withdrawn during a divorce settlement, the matter cast a long shadow over the family. Later, the same stepdaughter accused Errol Musk of further abuse and eventually had a child with him in her 20s.
"Errol Musk has left a massive wound in our family," said Elmie Smit, sister of his third wife, in her first public interview on the matter.
The family's turmoil extended into their years in the United States. In 2002, after Elon Musk had established SpaceX, Errol and his family moved to California where Elon purchased them a $2 million Malibu home. But within months, tensions escalated when the teenage stepdaughter said she found Errol sniffing her underwear, leading to a restraining order.
Errol denied the allegations, claiming he was cleaning her room. The stepdaughter later said that while in Malibu, Elon took her and her siblings on weekly outings and emphasised the importance of education.
In subsequent years, Elon Musk attempted to shield his half-sisters and step-siblings from his father, exploring legal guardianship options and funding their care. Despite these efforts, Errol Musk retained influence over parts of the family, with some relatives describing his hold as "powerful."
Errol Musk, for his part, has dismissed the allegations, claiming family members "were putting the children up to say false things" in attempts to secure money from Elon Musk.
"There was no evidence because this is nonsense," he said regarding the most recent claims.
The Times report notes that Elon Musk's complicated relationship with his father has left lasting scars. In a 2017 interview with Rolling Stone, the billionaire broke down in tears, saying his father had done "almost every evil thing you could possibly think of." In Walter Isaacson's 2023 authorised biography, Elon Musk stated that he no longer communicates with Errol Musk.
Despite the bitter family history, Errol Musk has continued to leverage his connection to his famous son, at times claiming involvement in projects like a meme coin called MuskIt and a proposed Musk Tower in Dubai. He has since denied active ties to those ventures. Relatives, however, say such public manoeuvres attempt to overshadow a family history marred by trauma and abuse.
The New York Times reviewed court and police documents from South Africa and California, more than 50 personal letters, emails, and notes, and interviewed family members and social workers.
Some sources requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the allegations, while others declined to comment. Authorities in South Africa and Los Angeles cited privacy protections in declining to release certain records.
Today, while Errol Musk continues to live in South Africa, Elon Musk has built one of the world's largest business empires in the United States. Yet the shadow of his father's alleged actions continues to follow him, shaping not only his personal life but also his public image.
