Musk's father was caught sniffing stepdaughter's underwear, bombshell report reveals
What's the story
Errol Musk, the father of billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, has been accused of sexually abusing five of his children and stepchildren. The allegations date back to 1993 and were reported by The New York Times on September 23. According to the report, the abuse allegedly occurred in California and South Africa, where Errol lives.
Abuse claims
Allegations include abuse of daughter and stepson
The earliest incident was reported by Errol's then four-year-old stepdaughter, Jana Bezuidenhout, who told family members that he had allegedly touched her. A decade later, she claimed to have caught him sniffing her dirty underwear. In 2018, Errol revealed he had a child with Jana after divorcing her mother, Heide Bezuidenhout, in 2004. The allegations also include abuse of two daughters and a stepson by Errol.
Legal proceedings
Errol has denied all charges
According to police and court records, three separate police investigations were launched into the allegations. While two cases were closed without action, it remains unclear what transpired in the third investigation. Despite these allegations, Errol has not been convicted of any crimes. He has denied all charges, calling them "false and nonsense." In a statement to the newspaper, he accused family members of fabricating these claims to extort money from Elon by "putting the children up to say false things."
Family dynamics
Elon on difficult relationship with Errol
Elon has not publicly commented on the allegations against his father. However, he has spoken about his difficult relationship with Errol in the past. In a 2017 interview with Rolling Stone, Elon said his father had done "almost every evil thing you could possibly think of." He recalled moving in with Errol at age 10 while his siblings stayed with their mother because he felt sorry for him. "He seemed very sad and lonely...So I thought, 'I can be company'."
Family background
More about Errol Musk
Errol has been married three times and has at least nine children and two stepchildren. His former wives include Heide Bezuidenhout, Maye Haldeman, and Sue Musk. The New York Times described him as having "a powerful grip over much of the family." Elon is his eldest child, and the 54-year-old is said to have financially supported his stepfamily from his father's third marriage.