Billionaire innovator Elon Musk is widely known for his transparent public persona, sharing insights daily on his social platform X, engaging with biographers, and frequently appearing on podcasts and at conferences.
However, a less public aspect of his life is the profound and lengthy estrangement from his father, Errol Musk, whose recent public comments and business dealings leveraging the family name have drawn increasing attention.
A New York Times inquiry has uncovered a critical reason behind this strained relationship: serious accusations of child sexual abuse against Errol Musk. These allegations have continuously impacted Elon Musk’s personal life, with family members reaching out to him for assistance and, at times, prompting his direct involvement, as evidenced by private communications and interviews.
This three-decade-long, multi-generational turmoil has deeply ensnared Elon Musk. Despite building a vast business empire in the United States and even serving as a close advisor to President Trump, the 54-year-old mogul remains inescapably linked to South Africa, his birthplace and his father’s current residence, due to these lingering family issues.
The disturbing accusations against Errol Musk detail alleged abuse of five of his biological and stepchildren across South Africa and California, corroborated by police and court records, personal messages, and interviews with family members and social workers.
The first documented allegation dates back to 1993, when a four-year-old stepdaughter reportedly told relatives of inappropriate touching at their Pretoria home. Ten years later, she claimed to have found him sniffing her underwear. Further allegations from other family members include the abuse of two biological daughters and a stepson. Most recently, in 2023, a five-year-old son’s claim of being groped by his father led to intervention attempts by family and a social worker.
These serious claims led to three distinct police investigations, supported by official records and family accounts. While two investigations concluded, the outcome of the third remains undisclosed. It is important to note that Errol Musk, now 79, has never been convicted of any crime related to these accusations.
The persistent shadow of these abuse allegations has created deep divisions within the Musk family, prompting some relatives to reach out to Elon Musk, Errol’s eldest child, for intervention. Around 2010, a detailed five-page letter was sent to Elon, pleading for his involvement in addressing these grave accusations.
“We desperately need your guidance and help in these matters as we witness these children’s daily suffering,” the relative’s letter, reviewed by The Times, stated.
Whether Elon Musk personally saw the letter remains unknown, but his assistant reportedly contacted a family member following the allegations. The tech magnate has provided financial aid to a former stepmother and two half-sisters, and continues to send monthly support to his former stepsister. At one point, he attempted to keep his stepfamily and half-siblings in California, aiming to distance them from Errol Musk. He did not, however, participate in the South African police investigations.
Errol Musk, a father to 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 substance abuse, while her mother, who was married to Errol twice, has faced significant mental health challenges.
“Errol Musk has inflicted a profound wound on our family,” stated Elmie Smit, sister of Errol’s third wife, in her first public interview about these allegations. She revealed having contacted Elon Musk via email regarding some claims and occasionally received responses from his assistant.
When questioned by The Times, Errol Musk vehemently denied the allegations, labeling them “false and utter nonsense.” He claimed the accusations were fabricated by family members manipulating children to make false statements in an attempt to extract money from Elon Musk.
Curiously, in one email to The Times, Errol Musk stated he was only aware of a single abuse allegation, yet in the very same message, he provided explanations for the circumstances surrounding two other separate incidents.
He further asserted a strong, close relationship with Elon Musk.
Elon Musk and his legal representative declined to comment. In 2017, the billionaire became visibly emotional during an interview, describing his father as having committed “almost every evil thing you could possibly think of.” More recently, in a 2023 authorized biography, Elon Musk confirmed he no longer communicates with Errol Musk.
Musk Family Tree
An interactive diagram illustrating the complex family tree of Errol Musk, showcasing his multiple marriages and children, including his relationships with his biological children and stepchildren. Credit: By Ashley Wu
The Times meticulously reviewed over 50 documents, including court and police records from California and South Africa, along with emails, text messages, and personal notes, all detailing various accusations. Authorities in both regions withheld some records, citing children’s privacy, while others proved untraceable.
Interviews were conducted with numerous family members, social workers, and individuals closely associated with the Musks. Several sources chose to remain anonymous due to the extreme sensitivity of the situation or fears of retaliation. Some family members declined to speak or did not respond to inquiries. The Times adheres to a strict policy of not naming children involved in sexual abuse cases.
In recent times, certain family members have expressed anger over Errol Musk’s perceived attempts to profit from Elon Musk’s celebrity. Errol Musk previously claimed involvement in a digital currency called ‘MuskIt’ and ambitions for a ‘Musk tower’ in Dubai, though he later denied any association with these ventures to The Times.
Concurrently, some relatives allege that Errol Musk has deliberately obscured or misrepresented their family history. Ms. Smit explained her decision to speak out after Errol Musk’s February interview on a South African podcast, ‘Wide Awake,’ where he discussed his life without acknowledging any of the deep-seated family struggles.
In June, Ms. Smit anonymously appeared on the same podcast, recounting several abuse allegations, notably the 1993 incident involving Errol Musk’s four-year-old stepdaughter.
The stepdaughter, now 37 and a mother herself, spoke publicly for the first time with The Times. While she declined to elaborate on the abuse allegations concerning Errol Musk, she confirmed that she and her children do not reside with him.
“My children are safe and well cared for,” she stated.
She confirmed that Elon Musk is her primary financial support, providing monthly funds and purchasing her a car, adding, “Elon has always been there for me.”
The Complex Tapestry of Three Marriages
For a significant period, Errol Musk cultivated the image of a successful and rising figure.
Hailing from Pretoria, South Africa’s administrative hub, he established himself as a successful businessman in his twenties and thirties, notably as a partner in an engineering firm. He also held a position on the Pretoria City Council.
His first marriage was in 1970 to Maye Haldeman, a dietitian and model, with whom he had three children: Elon; Tosca Musk, now head of a romance film streaming service; and Kimbal Musk, who also became an entrepreneur.
The couple divorced in 1979. In her 2019 memoir, Maye Musk detailed physical and verbal abuse she allegedly suffered during their marriage, claims which Errol Musk has refuted to The Times.
Elon Musk’s relationship with his father was also fraught with tension. His 2023 authorized biography recounts an incident where, as a child, after standing up to a bully and losing the fight, Errol Musk subjected him to an hour-long tirade.
“He would lose control, often going ballistic,” Elon Musk recalled, emphasizing his father’s complete lack of empathy.
Although Elon Musk chose to live with his father for much of high school following his parents’ divorce, he later expressed to his biographer that it was a grave mistake, stating, “I hadn’t yet grasped the extent of his awfulness.”
Errol Musk had a brief second marriage to model Sue Wilson. In 1989, a 17-year-old Elon Musk departed South Africa for North America, with his siblings and mother, Maye Musk, following soon after.
Around 1992, Errol Musk married for a third time to Heide-Mari Bezuidenhout, nearly two decades his junior. Ms. Bezuidenhout brought three young children to the marriage, whose father had tragically died in a car accident. Family members noted her struggles with mental health. She and Errol Musk subsequently had a daughter together.
In 1993, Ms. Bezuidenhout’s then four-year-old daughter from her previous marriage confided in her aunt, Ms. Smit, alleging that Errol Musk had inappropriately touched her on a row of trash cans at their Pretoria home. Ms. Smit, along with other relatives, promptly alerted the authorities.
A police investigation was initiated, and family members supplied a case number which South African police verified. The Times’ request for the case file in July has not yet been acted upon by the authorities.
Ms. Bezuidenhout subsequently dropped the charges against Errol Musk, reportedly as part of a divorce agreement that included a house, a car, and a monthly allowance, according to family accounts and the 2010 letter to Elon Musk.
Following the divorce, Errol Musk claimed that a judge awarded him custody of their young daughter and that two judges dismissed the abuse allegations, allowing Ms. Bezuidenhout visitation only under the supervision of a social worker. However, The Times’ search for court records and confirmation from the judges yielded no verifiable evidence for Errol Musk’s assertions.
In 1996, Ms. Bezuidenhout briefly married and divorced a third husband. Subsequently, she was admitted to a psychiatric hospital for depression, according to family members. Her three children from her first marriage were placed in an independent welfare home.
Around 1999, she remarried Errol Musk, who maintained custody of their daughter. Her three other children left welfare care in 2000. The following year, Errol Musk and Ms. Bezuidenhout welcomed another daughter.
A Tumultuous Chapter in Los Angeles
By 2002, Elon Musk had achieved millionaire status following the acquisition of his Silicon Valley startup, later known as PayPal, by eBay. Residing in Los Angeles, he then founded the groundbreaking rocket company, SpaceX.
In the same year, Errol Musk, Ms. Bezuidenhout, and their family relocated to California to be near Elon Musk, who purchased a $2 million home for them in Malibu.
However, within a few months, their new life dramatically unraveled.
One afternoon, as Errol Musk’s family prepared for a movie, his 14-year-old stepdaughter returned to her bedroom to retrieve a forgotten sweatshirt. There, she allegedly discovered her stepfather sniffing her dirty underwear, a detail recounted by family members and personal notes. The family immediately contacted the police, and Elon Musk was informed.
According to family members, a complaint was filed with Los Angeles child protective services. A department spokesperson refused to comment, citing victim privacy, and the Los Angeles Police Department similarly denied a records request, stating that investigation records are exempt from public disclosure.
Subsequently, a restraining order was issued against Errol Musk, confirmed by three individuals familiar with the filing. Ms. Bezuidenhout filed for divorce in Los Angeles Superior Court, citing “irreconcilable differences” and seeking custody of the children. This petition was ultimately dismissed in 2009 due to inaction.
Errol Musk denied this specific accusation, claiming he was merely tidying his stepdaughter’s room after a trip, finding the house “in a terrible state.”
The stepdaughter recalled that during their time in Malibu, Elon Musk would take her and her siblings on weekly excursions as a reward for good academic performance, often emphasizing the importance of reading for future success.
Following the abuse allegations, Elon Musk relocated his father first to a boat in Los Angeles, and then back to South Africa. Errol Musk asserts he left the United States voluntarily, claiming his estrangement from Elon began around that period.
Family members and friends confirm that Elon Musk sought to keep the children in California, aiming to protect them from his father. They added that he even investigated options for legal guardianship.
Back in South Africa, Errol Musk became financially dependent on his eldest sons, sending an email to Elon Musk requesting money.
“I am now entirely reliant on your card here,” Errol Musk’s email, obtained by The Times, stated.
Kimbal Musk, included in the correspondence, responded, “Financially, this situation has been awful, impacting Elon far more severely than you. This is true not only in terms of the considerable monetary cost but also the immense emotional toll.”
“The most alarming revelation is that the children preferred residing in a welfare home over living with either you or Heide,” Kimbal Musk further noted, referring to the independent welfare institution.
In the 2023 biography, Elon Musk revealed to his biographer that his father had exhibited “uncomfortably attentive” behavior towards his stepdaughter during that period, and that he was deeply angered by Errol Musk’s “inappropriate conduct.”
A Desperate Plea for Intervention
In 2003, Ms. Bezuidenhout and four of her children voluntarily returned to their native South Africa; 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, she contacted Elon Musk, describing her dire circumstances in a house lacking basic amenities like a bathroom or kitchen.
Elon Musk, by then CEO of Tesla since 2008, financed repairs and a fence for Ms. Bezuidenhout’s home, according to family members. Emails also confirm he covered private school tuition for his half-sisters.
During this period, the former stepdaughter struggled with drug addiction, which she attributed to the pain of her brother’s death. Family notes indicate she was incarcerated for stealing jewelry from Errol Musk and Ms. Bezuidenhout to fund her drug habit.
By 2009, Ms. Bezuidenhout had re-established contact with Errol Musk, once again placing her children within his sphere. That year, while her former stepdaughter, then 21, was home from college, Errol Musk allegedly kissed her and engaged in inappropriate contact, as detailed in her application for an interim protection order.
“I do not want him permitted near me,” the former stepdaughter wrote in the interim protection order, which was subsequently granted by the Stellenbosch Magistrate’s Court.
In his defense to The Times, Errol Musk claimed his former stepdaughter aggressively approached him in a spare bedroom while he slept and “inappropriately kissed me.”
Within the interim protection order, the former stepdaughter also directly accused Errol Musk of sexually abusing his two daughters with Ms. Bezuidenhout and his stepson, years prior to the latter’s death, though specific details were not provided. The 2007 letter from Ms. Bezuidenhout to Elon Musk and the 2010 letter from another relative echoed similar allegations from one of Errol Musk’s daughters.
Errol Musk dismissed the accusations of abusing his stepson as “nonsense” and labeled the claims regarding his two daughters as “absurd.”
Family members and personal notes indicate that the former stepdaughter left college and intensified her drug use. She attributed her substance abuse to the profound trauma experienced during her upbringing, she told The Times.
In 2011, Ms. Smit, Ms. Bezuidenhout’s sister, appealed to Elon Musk for help. His assistant responded, conveying that Elon was aware of the family’s “very difficult situation” and described Errol Musk’s former stepdaughter’s circumstances as “dire.” Elon Musk subsequently offered to fund her stay in a rehabilitation clinic.
Family members stated that the former stepdaughter attended rehab for a brief period, lasting only one to two weeks, and subsequently experienced homelessness for a time.
Recent Developments and Financial Support
Later, Errol Musk’s former stepdaughter, then around 29, sought his support. In a 2018 interview, Errol Musk confirmed they became intimate, describing it as “lonely, lost people” finding each other.
He characterized their relationship as a convergence of “lonely, lost people,” attributing it to “God’s plan or nature’s plan.”
Errol Musk has claimed in interviews that he had not seen his former stepdaughter for years, a statement contested by family members. He also previously stated they had children together in 2017 and 2019, but when questioned by The Times about the exact number of children with her, he responded, “none of your business.”
The former stepdaughter confirmed she has one child with Errol Musk. She also shared that she has been sober for several years, crediting the change to becoming a mother. Family members note she has received some financial assistance from Errol Musk for their son.
In 2022, their son, then approximately five years old, reportedly told family members he had been groped by his father.
“He said, ‘dad gropes his behind,’” Ms. Bezuidenhout, the boy’s grandmother, texted a relative around 2023. “He screamed, ‘no dad.’” This led relatives to contact the police, with communications continuing as recently as last year, based on reviewed text messages and emails.
A social worker involved in the case attempted to meet with family members to discuss the incident, but they were uncooperative. Consequently, the social worker reported the matter to the police.
Family members provided a case number for a police investigation that was opened. A police spokeswoman confirmed the case was related to child sexual abuse allegations but declined to identify individuals. The case was ultimately dropped by prosecutors due to insufficient evidence.
Responding to The Times, Errol Musk stated, “There was no evidence because this is nonsense.”
Around 2023, Elon Musk reportedly began providing 30,000 rand (approximately $1,700) monthly to support his former stepsister.
Also in 2023, Elon Musk made a rare public comment about his father on social media. Responding to a post discussing his financial origins, Elon Musk revealed that a condition for him and Kimbal Musk’s financial support to their father was that Errol Musk refrain from bad behavior.
Elon Musk concluded his post by stating that his father “nevertheless did” engage in such behavior.
Additional reporting was provided by Zimasa Matiwane from Pretoria, South Africa, and research by Kirsten Noyes.