In documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice following a Freedom of Information Act request, email correspondence from 2012 and 2013 shows that Elon Musk sought invitations to visit the private Caribbean island owned by Jeffrey Epstein, a disclosure that directly conflicts with Musk’s earlier public statements denying any meaningful connection to Epstein.
The records show that Musk’s office contacted Epstein’s staff on at least four occasions between June 2012 and March 2013. The communications include emails sent by Musk’s then-assistant, Sarah O’Brien, asking about possible visits to Epstein’s island, Little Saint James. The messages describe potential reasons for the visits as “technical discussions” and “investment opportunities,” and reference scheduling and logistics related to travel to the island.
These exchanges contrast with statements Musk made publicly in 2019 after Epstein’s arrest, when he wrote on Twitter that he had “never been to any of his parties/events and have only met him once at a large public gathering.” The DOJ documents show repeated attempts by Musk’s representatives to arrange visits over a period of several months, indicating a level of outreach beyond a single encounter.
The timing of the correspondence places it during a period when Musk was actively raising capital across multiple ventures. In 2012, Tesla was still working to establish itself within the automotive market, while SpaceX was focused on securing contracts with NASA for commercial crew missions. The outreach to Epstein occurred alongside those fundraising and business development efforts.
The release of these documents comes as Musk is pursuing a proposed merger between SpaceX and his artificial intelligence company, xAI, ahead of a planned public offering later this year. The merger has been estimated at a valuation of $180 billion and would require approval from multiple regulatory bodies. The disclosures introduce additional scrutiny at a point when investor confidence and regulatory review are central to the process.
Investor considerations extend beyond the merger. Shareholders of Tesla have already faced stock volatility linked to concerns about Musk’s attention across his various companies. The renewed focus on Musk’s past associations adds further attention during an active phase of corporate expansion and planning.
Industry responses have focused on governance and oversight. Corporate reputation specialist Jennifer Walsh of Crisis Communications Partners said that chief executives of public companies are held to high standards and that any association with convicted criminals creates liability concerns for boards and shareholders. Aerospace analyst Richard Aboulafia said that companies holding government contracts are subject to extensive background reviews and that new information can add additional layers of examination without automatically leading to disqualification.
The revelations have also drawn political attention. Jamie Raskin, a member of the House Oversight Committee, said he plans to request a briefing to determine whether Musk’s security clearances were properly vetted in light of the newly released information.
The documents do not state that Musk visited Epstein’s island, and no criminal allegations against Musk are contained in the release. The material centers on documented attempts by Musk’s office to arrange visits and the contrast between those communications and Musk’s later public denials, now drawing attention from investors, regulators, and members of Congress as Musk moves forward with large-scale corporate plans.
