By Rounak Bagchi

Copyright timesnownews

Errol Musk, father of billionaire Elon Musk, has been accused of sexually abusing multiple children and stepchildren over several decades, according to an exclusive investigation by The New York Times. The allegations span South Africa and California, involve police inquiries, court records, and family interventions, and continue to reverberate through the Musk family. Elon Musk has reportedly provided financial and personal support to some of the alleged victims, while Errol Musk denies the claims. The earliest accusation against Errol Musk dates to 1993 when his then-four-year-old stepdaughter reported that he had touched her at the family home in Pretoria, South Africa. A decade later, she alleged he had sniffed her dirty underwear. Other family members have accused him of abusing two daughters and a stepson. As recently as 2023, a five-year-old reportedly said his father had groped him, prompting a police investigation. Three separate police investigations were opened, according to court and police records, but it is unclear what became of one of the inquiries. Errol Musk has not been convicted of any crime. Elon Musk’s Role and Family Intervention Family members say Elon Musk has occasionally been called on to intervene. Around 2010, a relative wrote him a five-page letter pleading for guidance regarding the allegations: “We really need your advice, help and guidance in these matters because we daily see these children suffer.” It is unclear if Elon Musk read the letter, but an assistant reportedly communicated with the family and confirmed that Elon Musk has provided financial support for his stepfamily and siblings from his father’s third marriage. Elon Musk also reportedly attempted to keep certain family members in California to protect them from Errol Musk, although he was not involved in South African investigations. What has Errol Musk Said? Errol Musk, 79, has denied all allegations, describing them as “false and nonsense in the extreme,” and claiming they were fabricated by relatives seeking money from Elon Musk. In correspondence with The New York Times, he said he has a good relationship with his eldest son, adding, “we are very close.” Errol Musk has been married three times and has at least nine children and stepchildren. Some relatives have accused him of trying to capitalise on Elon Musk’s fame through projects like a meme coin called MuskIt and plans for a “Musk Tower” in Dubai, which he later disassociated from. Family members describe Errol Musk as having a lasting negative influence on the household. Elmie Smit, whose sister was Errol Musk’s third wife, said: “Errol Musk has left a massive wound in our family.” Elon Musk has publicly described his father as abusive. In a 2017 Rolling Stone interview, he said Errol Musk had done “almost every evil thing you could possibly think of.” In Walter Isaacson’s 2023 biography, Elon Musk stated that he no longer communicates with his father. During his childhood, Elon Musk reported enduring verbal and physical abuse. After losing a school fight, he said Errol Musk berated him for an hour. He later reflected that living with his father through high school was “a terrible idea,” adding, “I didn’t yet know how horrible he was.” Life in California and Continued Allegations In 2002, after Elon Musk’s success with PayPal, Errol Musk and his third wife Heide-Mari Bezuidenhout visited California with their children. Elon Musk bought them a $2 million house in Malibu. During their stay, the former stepdaughter, then 14, said she found Errol Musk sniffing her dirty underwear, leading to a police complaint and restraining order. The case was later dismissed for inaction. Elon Musk reportedly moved his father to a boat and later back to South Africa to protect the family. Family members said he explored legal guardianship over the children to ensure their safety. In recent years, Elon Musk has provided financial support to some family members, including 30,000 rand (approximately $1,700) per month to his former stepsister. In a rare public comment on social media, Musk wrote that his support for his father was conditional on Errol Musk refraining from “bad behavior,” which he said Errol did not uphold. Family members described the former stepdaughter’s life as affected by trauma, drug use, and homelessness before receiving Elon Musk’s support. Errol Musk has continued to deny all allegations, claiming that incidents were either fabricated or misinterpreted. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from US News and around the World.