Elon Musk, the renowned tech billionaire, often shares aspects of his life publicly, from his daily posts on X to his participation in biographies and conferences. However, one intensely private area has remained largely undisclosed: his strained relationship with his father, Errol Musk. A recent investigation has uncovered that this long-standing estrangement is rooted in grave accusations of child sexual abuse against Errol Musk. These allegations have cast a long shadow over Elon Musk’s life for three decades, as family members have repeatedly turned to him for help, prompting him to intervene on several occasions, as revealed by personal letters, emails, and interviews. This deeply painful, multigenerational saga links the 54-year-old mogul to his South African roots, even as he builds an empire in the United States and engages in high-profile political circles.
The accusations against Errol Musk are extensive, involving five of his children and stepchildren in both South Africa and California. Records from police, courts, social workers, personal communications, and interviews with family members corroborate these claims. The first reported incident dates back to 1993 when a then-4-year-old stepdaughter alleged inappropriate touching at the family home. Ten years later, the same stepdaughter claimed to have found him sniffing her used underwear. Further accusations include the abuse of two of his biological daughters and another stepson. As recently as 2023, a social worker and family members reportedly intervened after his then-5-year-old son described being groped by his father. Although three police investigations were initiated, two concluded without clear outcomes, and the third’s resolution remains unknown. Errol Musk, currently 79, has never been convicted of these crimes. The allegations have deeply divided the Musk family, leading some to seek assistance from Elon Musk, his eldest child. In approximately 2010, a five-page letter was sent to Elon Musk detailing some of these accusations, pleading for his intervention. The letter, seen by the Times, stated, “We really need your advice, help and guidance in these matters because we daily see these children suffer.”
Whether Elon Musk ever read the detailed letter remains uncertain. However, his assistant did communicate with a family member following reports of abuse. The tech mogul has reportedly provided financial assistance to a former stepmother, two half-sisters, and sends monthly payments to his former stepsister. He previously attempted to relocate his step-family and half-siblings to California, aiming to distance them from Errol Musk, though he was not directly involved in South African police investigations. Errol Musk, a father of at least nine children and stepchildren from three marriages, reportedly exerts considerable influence over his family. The stepdaughter first accused of abuse at age four later had a child with him in her twenties. She has since battled drug addiction, while her mother, who married Errol Musk twice, has struggled with mental health. Elmie Smit, whose sister was Errol Musk’s third wife, stated in her first on-the-record interview that Errol Musk has “left a massive wound in our family,” confirming she has emailed Elon Musk about the allegations and received responses from his assistant. Confronted by the Times, Errol Musk vehemently denied the reports, calling them “false and nonsense in the extreme.” He claimed the accusations were fabricated by family members seeking money from Elon Musk and that they were “putting the children up to say false things.” Curiously, in the same email, he acknowledged awareness of only one specific abuse allegation while simultaneously providing explanations for two others. He also insisted he maintains a close relationship with his son. Elon Musk and his personal lawyer did not comment on the matter. In a 2017 interview, Elon Musk became emotional, stating his father had committed “almost every evil thing you could possibly think of.” In his 2023 biography by Walter Isaacson, Elon Musk confirmed he no longer communicates with Errol Musk.
The investigation by the Times involved a thorough review of court and police documents from California and South Africa, along with over 50 emails, text messages, personal notes, and letters. While some accusations were detailed more than others, authorities in both regions largely withheld records, citing privacy concerns for the children involved, and some older records could not be found. The Times also conducted interviews with family members, social workers, and close associates of the Musks. Many requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the topic and fear of reprisal, while others chose not to comment. The Times adheres to a policy of not naming children in sexual abuse cases. Recently, several family members have expressed anger over what they perceive as Errol Musk’s attempts to exploit Elon Musk’s fame. Errol Musk had publicly claimed involvement in a cryptocurrency called MuskIt and announced plans for a “Musk tower” in Dubai, though he later denied any association with these ventures to the Times.
Family members contend that Errol Musk has consistently misrepresented or concealed their tumultuous family history. Elmie Smit’s decision to speak out was prompted by Errol Musk’s February interview on the South African podcast “Wide Awake,” where he spoke extensively about his life, omitting any mention of the family’s deep-seated issues. In June, Ms. Smit appeared on the same podcast, anonymously sharing details of the abuse allegations, including the initial 1993 incident involving Errol Musk’s 4-year-old stepdaughter. The stepdaughter, now 37 and a mother of several children, later spoke publicly to the Times. While she refrained from discussing the specific abuse allegations against Errol Musk, she confirmed that neither she nor her children reside with him, assuring, “My kids are safe and looked after.” She also acknowledged that Elon Musk provides her primary financial support, sending her monthly payments and having purchased a car for her, stating, “Elon has always been there.”
A History of Three Marriages
Errol Musk once appeared to be a man destined for success. Growing up in Pretoria, South Africa’s executive capital, he established himself as a prominent businessman in his younger years, including a partnership in an engineering firm and a position on the Pretoria City Council. In 1970, he married Maye Haldeman, a dietitian and model, with whom he had three children: Elon; Tosca, now a romance film streaming service executive; and Kimbal, an entrepreneur. The couple divorced in 1979, with Maye Musk later alleging physical and verbal abuse in her 2019 memoir, a claim Errol Musk denied to the Times. Elon Musk’s own relationship with his father was similarly fraught. His 2023 authorized biography details an incident from his childhood where, after defending himself against a bully and losing the fight, Errol Musk harshly reprimanded him for an hour. Elon Musk recalled his father “went ballistic” with “zero compassion.” Despite choosing to live with his father for much of his high school years post-divorce, Elon Musk later described this decision as a “terrible idea,” stating he “didn’t yet know how horrible he was.”
Errol Musk had a brief second marriage to model Sue Wilson. In 1989, at 17, Elon Musk left South Africa for North America, followed by his siblings and mother. Around 1992, Errol Musk married for a third time to Heide-Mari Bezuidenhout, who was 19 years his junior and a widow with three young children. Family members reported Ms. Bezuidenhout struggled with her mental health, and she and Errol Musk soon had a daughter. In 1993, Ms. Bezuidenhout’s 4-year-old daughter from her previous marriage confided in her aunt, Ms. Smit, that Errol Musk had inappropriately touched her at their Pretoria home. Ms. Smit and other relatives promptly alerted authorities, leading to a police investigation, confirmed by a case number provided by family members. A public records request for the case file is pending. Ms. Bezuidenhout later dropped the charges against Errol Musk as part of a divorce settlement, which included a house, car, and monthly allowance, as detailed by family members and a 2010 letter sent to Elon Musk. Errol Musk claimed a judge granted him custody of their daughter and dismissed the abuse allegations, allowing Ms. Bezuidenhout visitation only under social worker supervision. The Times could not verify these court records. In 1996, Ms. Bezuidenhout briefly remarried before being hospitalized for depression. Her three children then entered an independent welfare home. By 1999, she remarried Errol Musk, who maintained custody of their daughter. Her other three children left welfare care in 2000, and the following year, Errol Musk and Ms. Bezuidenhout had another daughter.
The Move to Los Angeles
By 2002, Elon Musk had achieved millionaire status after his Silicon Valley startup, PayPal, was acquired by eBay. Based in Los Angeles, he founded SpaceX, his ambitious rocket company. That same year, Errol Musk, Ms. Bezuidenhout, and their combined family visited Elon in California, where he purchased a $2 million Malibu home for them. However, their new life quickly deteriorated. One day, as the family prepared for a movie, Errol Musk’s then-14-year-old stepdaughter returned to her bedroom for a forgotten sweatshirt and reportedly discovered her stepfather sniffing her dirty underwear, according to family accounts and personal notes. The family immediately contacted police, and Elon Musk was informed. A complaint was also filed with Los Angeles child protective services; a spokeswoman declined to comment, citing victim privacy. The Los Angeles Police Department similarly denied a records request, stating that investigation records were exempt from public disclosure. A restraining order was subsequently issued against Errol Musk, as confirmed by three individuals familiar with the filing. Ms. Bezuidenhout sought a divorce in Los Angeles Superior Court, citing “irreconcilable differences” and requesting child custody, though her petition was ultimately dismissed in 2009 due to inactivity.
Errol Musk denied the underwear-sniffing accusation, claiming he was merely tidying his stepdaughter’s “terrible state” room after a trip. His stepdaughter recounted that during their time in Malibu, Elon Musk took her and her siblings on weekly outings, emphasizing the importance of reading for future success. Following these allegations, Elon Musk arranged for his father to live on a boat in Los Angeles before facilitating his return to South Africa. Errol Musk, however, asserted he left the U.S. voluntarily and suggested this period marked the beginning of his estrangement from his eldest son. Upon returning to South Africa, Errol Musk became financially dependent on his successful sons. An email to Elon Musk, reviewed by the Times, showed Errol stating, “I am now totally dependent on your card here.” Kimbal Musk, also a recipient, responded, highlighting the “horrible” financial and emotional burden placed on Elon. Kimbal also noted a distressing detail: “The scariest thing that I’ve learned is that the kids preferred living in the children’s home than with either you or Heide,” referring to their time in a welfare institution. Elon Musk’s 2023 biography further reveals his anger over his father’s “uncomfortably attentive” and “inappropriate behavior” towards his stepdaughter during that period.
Navigating a “Very Difficult Situation”
In 2003, Ms. Bezuidenhout and four of her children voluntarily returned to South Africa, considering it their true home; her eldest son joined them later. She divorced Errol Musk for a second time in 2005. The following year, her 16-year-old son tragically died in a car accident. Around 2007, Ms. Bezuidenhout contacted Elon Musk, describing her “very bad situation” in a house lacking basic amenities. Elon Musk, who by 2008 was the CEO of Tesla, funded renovations for her house, including a new fence, and covered private school tuition for his half-sisters. Concurrently, the former stepdaughter spiraled into drug addiction, which she attributed to the grief over her brother’s death. Family notes indicate she was jailed for stealing jewelry from Errol Musk and Ms. Bezuidenhout to fund her drug habit. By 2009, Ms. Bezuidenhout re-established contact with Errol Musk, reintroducing her children into his life. During a college break, the then-21-year-old stepdaughter alleged that Errol Musk kissed her and forced his tongue into her mouth. She successfully obtained an interim protection order from the Stellenbosch Magistrate’s Court, stating, “I don’t want him to be allowed to come close to me.” Errol Musk, in his defense to the Times, claimed she “inappropriately kissed” him while he was sleeping in a spare bedroom.
The interim protection order further contained direct, though undetailed, accusations from the former stepdaughter that Errol Musk had sexually abused his two daughters with Ms. Bezuidenhout and her stepson prior to his death. These allegations were echoed in Ms. Bezuidenhout’s 2007 letter to Elon Musk and the 2010 letter from another relative. Errol Musk dismissed the accusations against his stepson as “nonsense” and those involving his two daughters as “absurd.” The former stepdaughter, citing childhood trauma, dropped out of college and deepened her struggle with drug addiction, eventually experiencing homelessness, according to family accounts. In 2011, Ms. Smit appealed to Elon Musk for assistance. His assistant responded, acknowledging the “very difficult situation” the family faced and describing the stepdaughter’s circumstances as “dire.” Elon Musk subsequently offered to fund her stay at a rehabilitation clinic, though she only remained for a short period before relapsing and becoming homeless.
The Payment of 30,000 Rand
Later, Errol Musk’s former stepdaughter, by then around 29, reached out to him for support, leading to an intimate relationship. In a 2018 interview, Errol Musk described them as “lonely, lost people” and their intimacy as “God’s plan or nature’s plan.” While Errol Musk claimed he hadn’t seen his stepdaughter for years, a claim disputed by family members, he stated they had children together in 2017 and 2019, though he refused to disclose further details to the Times. The former stepdaughter confirms she has one child with Errol Musk and has been drug-free for several years, attributing her recovery to motherhood. Family members state she has accepted financial support from Errol Musk for their son. In 2022, when their son was about five, he alleged that his father had groped him, telling his grandmother, Ms. Bezuidenhout, “He said, ‘dad gropes his behind.’ He screamed, ‘no dad.'” Relatives again contacted the police, as recently as last year. A social worker involved attempted to meet with the family but faced a lack of cooperation and subsequently alerted the police. While family members provided a case number for an investigation into child sexual abuse allegations, a police spokeswoman confirmed the case’s existence but stated prosecutors dropped it due to insufficient evidence. Errol Musk reiterated to the Times, “There was no evidence because this is nonsense.” Around 2023, Elon Musk began providing 30,000 rand (approximately $1,700) monthly to support his former stepsister. In a rare social media comment that year, Elon Musk alluded to his father’s behavior, stating that a condition for him and Kimbal Musk to financially support their father was that he “would not engage in bad behavior,” adding that their father “nonetheless did.”
Zimasa Matiwane contributed reporting from Pretoria, South Africa. Kirsten Noyes contributed research.