Economy February 10, 2026

Emails Link Tesla Director Kimbal Musk to Women Connected with Jeffrey Epstein

Justice Department releases 2012-2015 correspondence showing social contacts and exchanges; Musk issues public statement denying introductions or visits to Epstein's island

By Priya Menon
Emails Link Tesla Director Kimbal Musk to Women Connected with Jeffrey Epstein

Emails released by the U.S. Justice Department on January 30 show Tesla director Kimbal Musk had interactions tied to at least two women who were connected to financier Jeffrey Epstein in the years after Epstein's sex crime conviction. The correspondence, dated 2012-2015, includes messages between Musk, Epstein and associate Boris Nikolic discussing introductions, social meetings and a potential visit to Epstein's island. Musk has said he met one woman in 2012 through a friend, that Epstein did not introduce them, and that he never visited Epstein's island.

Key Points

  • Emails released by the U.S. Justice Department on January 30 show Kimbal Musk had connections with at least two women tied to Jeffrey Epstein between 2012 and 2015.
  • Correspondence includes an Oct. 2012 exchange where Musk thanked Epstein and Boris Nikolic for introducing him to a woman named Jennifer; Nikolic warned about mistreating "his girls/friends," and Musk replied that the message was "received wide and clear."
  • Kimbal Musk said on X that he began dating a 30-year-old woman in 2012 whom he met through a friend, that "Epstein did not introduce us," and that he never visited Epstein's island.

Documents made public by the U.S. Justice Department on January 30 include email exchanges indicating Tesla director Kimbal Musk, who is the brother of Tesla CEO Elon Musk, had links to at least two women connected to Jeffrey Epstein in the years following the financier's sex crime conviction.

The released correspondence, which spans from 2012 to 2015, contains messages between Kimbal Musk, Epstein and Epstein associate Boris Nikolic that touch on introductions, social gatherings and the possibility of travel to Epstein's private island, according to Bloomberg.

One Oct. 2012 message from Musk addressed to Epstein and Nikolic reads: "Great to hang out today. Jeffrey and Boris, many thanks for connecting me with Jennifer. I believe you both played a role. :)"

Nikolic's reply included a cautionary line: "Jeffrey goes crazy when someone mistreats his girls/friends." Musk acknowledged that warning in a subsequent response, writing, "Message received wide and clear," and adding he was "very happy" with the time he spent with Jennifer and describing her as "great."

On Monday, Musk posted a statement on X addressing his appearance in Epstein's files. He said he began dating a 30-year-old woman in 2012 whom he met through a friend and expressly stated, "Epstein did not introduce us." He further explained that his name is in Epstein's records because he routinely sent newsletters to thousands of people.

In the same post Musk wrote: "My only meeting with that demon was in his New York office during the day. I never met with him again and I never went to his island," and he added, "My heart goes out to the many victims of Jeffrey Epstein," according to Bloomberg.

The released emails cover multiple years and show interaction about relationships and social arrangements, but the documents do not provide a broader context beyond the exchanges themselves. The correspondence and Musk's public statement form the current record of how his name appears in Epstein's files.


Reporting note: The Justice Department's release of the emails and the messages quoted above compose the factual basis for this account. The information presented here is limited to the content of those documents and Musk's statement posted on X.

Risks

  • Reputational risk to Tesla leadership stemming from disclosed ties between a board director and individuals connected to Jeffrey Epstein - potential impacts on investor sentiment in the automotive and technology sectors.
  • Uncertainty remains because the released emails document discrete exchanges without broader context, leaving unanswered questions about the extent of interactions described in the correspondence.
  • Potential public-relations and governance scrutiny as company stakeholders and the public process the disclosures about a senior director's past social contacts.

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