Newly released files procured by the Department of Justice reveal that Tesla CEO Elon Musk engaged in more extensive communications with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein than previously acknowledged publicly. The documents, made public on Friday, contain emails from 2012 and 2013 where the two moguls discussed scheduling Musk’s visit to Epstein’s Caribbean property, Little St James.
One exchange from December 2013 shows Musk inquiring about visiting while in the vicinity of St. Barts over the holidays, noting he desired to "let loose" at a party scene. Epstein replied affirmatively, offering specific dates, though the planned January 2014 meeting ultimately did not materialize due to logistical failures cited by Musk.
In a separate 2012 exchange, Epstein asked how many people Musk would bring via helicopter, to which Musk responded, "Probably just Talulah and me," referencing his then-wife Talulah Riley. Musk also inquired about the nature of the gatherings, stating a "peaceful island experience is the opposite of what I’m looking for."
These newly surfaced communications appear to conflict with Musk’s past statements; for instance, he told Vanity Fair in 2019 that Epstein "tried repeatedly to get me to visit his island. I declined." The emails suggest a more proactive effort by Musk to coordinate a visit than his previous public narrative indicated.
Furthermore, the tranche of documents includes an email thread suggesting Epstein’s assistant, Lesley Groff, confirmed a lunch meeting with Epstein at SpaceX headquarters on February 25, 2013. It remains unclear whether that lunch occurred or if Musk was present for the appointment.
Musk has previously faced scrutiny regarding his connections to Epstein, particularly after a 2014 calendar entry surfaced suggesting a planned island visit that Musk subsequently denied. The controversial financier died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges.
The release of these three million documents continues to provide granular insight into Epstein’s network of powerful associates. A representative for Musk and his AI firm, xAI, did not immediately offer comment regarding the context of these specific interactions.
