Elon Musk’s brother, Kimbal Musk, says he was just dating, but emails suggest Epstein was pulling the strings

Newly released documents involving convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein show that he played a direct role in engineering an intimate relationship between a woman in his network and Kimbal Musk, the brother of Elon Musk and a longtime Tesla board member. As detailed by The Guardian, the emails reveal a level of coordination and involvement that sharply contradicts Kimbal Musk’s recent efforts to distance himself from Epstein.

The relationship took place over roughly six months between 2012 and 2013, a period Musk later downplayed as simple “dating.” However, the emails show that Epstein and his associate Boris Nikolic were actively involved in arranging the initial connection. Before the pair even met, Nikolic told Epstein to “please prepare [the woman] —;),” indicating the encounter was planned rather than coincidental.

After a lunch at Epstein’s Manhattan apartment in October 2012, Musk appeared appreciative of the introduction. In a follow-up email, he thanked both Epstein and Nikolic for connecting him with the woman, adding that he believed they had “played a role” in bringing them together.

Emails show Epstein maintained control throughout the relationship

As the relationship progressed, the emails show Epstein remained deeply involved behind the scenes. The woman regularly forwarded Epstein’s personal messages she received from Musk and sought his advice on how to respond, effectively keeping Epstein informed of Musk’s behavior, amid a wider news cycle that has also focused on the US hitting its worst corruption ranking. There is no indication in the documents that Musk was aware this ongoing communication was taking place.

This period followed Musk’s divorce from his first wife, which he referenced in a 2013 email describing himself as “now divorced! Free to live my life.” In later public comments, Musk said he was not in a healthy place at the time, engaging in heavy partying and casual relationships while avoiding emotional commitment, as broader reporting has examined the lasting effects of Trump-era policy costs.

After the documents were released, Musk issued a statement on X denying Epstein’s role. He claimed he met the woman through a friend, not Epstein, and said his “only meeting with that demon was in his New York office during the day.” He also suggested Epstein merely received a general newsletter he sent to thousands of people, a claim that clashes with the highly personal nature of the emails.

The correspondence surrounding the end of the relationship is particularly disturbing. In April 2013, Musk emailed the woman asking to slow things down, saying he was not ready for a serious relationship. She immediately forwarded the message to Epstein, asking for guidance.

Epstein responded by urging her to return to him and inviting her to his ranch, while another associate instructed her to cut off contact with Musk and leave immediately. Through her attorney, the woman has since said she was trapped, coerced, and abused by Epstein during this period. Kimbal Musk has not been accused of any wrongdoing related to Epstein.