Sex With Intern, Asking Staff To Have His Babies, Packages If Things Go South: WSJ Report Claims

A recent Wall Street Journal report has unveiled allegations of inappropriate behaviour by Elon Musk, founder and CEO of SpaceX, shedding light on a series of incidents involving sexual relationships and harassment claims within the company. Elon Musk, known for his boundary-pushing ambitions and leadership in the tech and space industries, is now facing scrutiny for his interactions with female employees at SpaceX, an American aerospace manufacturer and space transportation company founded by the billionaire-entrepreneur in 2002, headquartered in Hawthorne, California.

One case involved a former SpaceX engineering intern who, in 2017, was personally contacted by Musk, one of the richest men in the world and a key figure in several high-profile companies, for a high-profile role on his executive staff. The woman had interned at SpaceX years earlier and reportedly had a romantic relationship with Musk during her internship. This relationship included a date, a kiss, and eventually sex. After the internship, Musk flew her to a resort in Sicily, but the relationship ended soon after. Despite her rejection of his attempts to rekindle their relationship, Musk maintained close contact, frequently texting and inviting her to his Los Angeles mansion, which reportedly made her job challenging. She left SpaceX in 2019.

Another disturbing allegation comes from a SpaceX flight attendant who claimed that in 2016, Musk exposed himself to her and offered to buy her a horse in exchange for sex acts. This allegation surfaced during a 2018 mediation with SpaceX, where the company agreed to pay the flight attendant $250,000 in a settlement. Musk, according to Wall Street Journal, denied these allegations, calling them “utterly untrue” and joking about the scandal on social media.

In a separate incident, a female employee who left SpaceX in 2013 alleged that Musk had asked her on multiple occasions to have his babies. Musk, who has publicly stated his belief in an impending underpopulation crisis and has at least 10 children, has encouraged some of his employees to have children. This particular woman declined Musk’s offer, and their professional relationship deteriorated, leading to her departure with a severance package valued at over $1 million.

A fourth woman reported having a month-long sexual relationship with Musk in 2014 while directly reporting to him. This relationship ended badly, leading to recriminations over text and email, and the woman eventually signed an agreement prohibiting her from discussing her work for Musk.

Former SpaceX executives and employees have criticised the company’s handling of these situations, alleging a culture of sexism and harassment. They claim that a high-level group around Musk fails to apply SpaceX’s own rules to the CEO, allowing him to act with impunity. This perception is reinforced by Musk’s significant influence and the understanding that “Elon is SpaceX, and SpaceX is Elon,” as one former engineer recalled an executive saying.

Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX’s president and COO, defended Musk against the allegations, stating that the Journal’s report mischaracterises the company’s culture. She emphasised that SpaceX investigates all complaints of harassment and takes appropriate actions.

Beyond these specific allegations, Musk’s personal behavior, including his use of illegal drugs, has raised concerns among executives and board members at SpaceX and Tesla. According to previous Journal reports, Musk has used drugs such as LSD, cocaine, ecstasy, mushrooms, and ketamine, at times with some board members. Musk’s attorney, Alex Spiro, countered these claims, stating that Musk is regularly and randomly drug tested at SpaceX and has never failed a test.

The WSJ article, based on conversations with more than four dozen people, including former employees and those familiar with Musk’s interactions with female subordinates, highlights a troubling pattern of behaviour. The report also reviewed emails, text messages, and other documents to corroborate these accounts.