Errol Musk, the father of billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, has been accused of sexually abusing five of his children and stepchildren over a span of three decades, according to a New York Times investigation. The allegations, which date back to 1993, have repeatedly spilled into Elon Musk’s life, as relatives appealed to him for help and intervention.
The Times reviewed police and court records from South Africa and California, as well as more than 50 personal documents and interviews with family members and social workers. The findings point to a troubling history of accusations involving Errol Musk’s daughters, stepdaughters, and a stepson. Despite multiple police investigations, he has never been convicted of any crime.
In one of the earliest cases, a stepdaughter — then four years old — alleged that Errol Musk touched her inappropriately. Years later, the same stepdaughter claimed to have caught him sniffing her underwear. More recently, in 2023, relatives reported that his then-five-year-old son said Errol Musk had groped him. While police confirmed opening cases, two investigations were closed, and details about a third remain unclear.
Elon Musk, who has long been estranged from his father, has nevertheless been drawn into the family’s turmoil. According to correspondence reviewed by the Times, relatives have repeatedly written to the Tesla and SpaceX CEO, pleading for his help. Musk has provided financial support to some family members, tried to keep them away from his father, and even considered legal steps to protect them.
Errol Musk, now 79, has denied the allegations, telling the New York Times that the reports are “false and nonsense in the extreme.” He claims his family fabricated the accusations in attempts to obtain money from his eldest son. Despite his denials, members of the extended family, including his former in-laws, described the lasting damage caused by his alleged actions.
Elon Musk has not publicly addressed the latest findings. In past interviews, however, he has characterized his father as having done “almost every evil thing you could possibly think of.
