Tesla chief executive Elon Musk exchanged at least 16 emails with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein between 2012 and 2013 discussing potential visits to Epstein’s private Caribbean island, according to documents released Friday by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ).
The emails contradict Musk’s previous public statements in which he claimed he refused invitations from Epstein to visit the property. In one November 2012 message, Musk asked Epstein which night would feature the “wildest party” on the island and indicated he would likely travel with his then wife, actress Talulah Riley.
The DOJ on Friday released more than three million pages of documents, 2,000 videos and 180,000 images related to Epstein as required by the Epstein Files Transparency Act passed by Congress last November. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the release fulfilled the department’s legal obligation under the legislation signed by President Donald Trump.
In a December 2012 exchange, Musk told Epstein he wanted to “hit the party scene” in Saint Barthélemy, a nearby Caribbean island, during the holidays. Epstein responded by asking how many people would join Musk for a helicopter ride to his island. Musk replied it would probably be just him and Riley, then inquired about party dates.
Another December 2013 email shows Musk informed Epstein he would be in the British Virgin Islands over the holidays and asked whether it would be a good time to visit. Epstein replied that any day between January first and eighth would work and added “always space for you.” The financier offered to send a helicopter to transport Musk to the island.
Documents released in September 2025 by House Democrats on the Oversight Committee included calendar entries from Epstein’s assistant, Lesley Groff, indicating Musk was scheduled to visit the island on December sixth, 2014. One entry read “Reminder: Elon Musk to island Dec. 6 (is this still happening?).” Musk responded on social media at the time by calling the calendar entry “false” without elaboration.
The newly released emails also show Epstein visited Musk’s SpaceX facility near Los Angeles in February 2013. In a message to Activision Blizzard chief executive Bobby Kotick, Epstein wrote “the girls and i are going to see elon musk at space x tomorrow.” Groff confirmed the visit in a separate email, stating “Jeffrey Epstein and 3 of his assistants are in CA and going to visit SpaceX at 1:00 today.” The documents do not identify the women who accompanied Epstein or state their ages.
Epstein also inquired in October 2012 about using SolarCity, a solar energy company where Musk served as chairman, to electrify his New Mexico ranch or his island. Musk forwarded the inquiry to his cousin Peter Rive, a SolarCity founder, expressing doubt about the feasibility. Tesla later acquired SolarCity in 2016.
The records do not definitively confirm whether Musk visited the island. Representatives for Tesla and X, Musk’s social media platform, did not respond to requests for comment Friday.
Musk has repeatedly denied visiting Epstein’s island and characterized the financier negatively. In 2019, he told Vanity Fair magazine that Epstein “tried repeatedly to get me to visit his island” but that he declined. Last September, after his name appeared in previously released documents, Musk posted on X: “Epstein tried to get me to go to his island and I REFUSED.”
Epstein died by suicide in August 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan. His longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted in 2021 on sex trafficking charges and is serving a 20 year prison sentence.
The latest document release also includes communications between Epstein and Steve Bannon, a top adviser to President Trump, discussing politics and travel in the months before Epstein’s death. The files show Epstein exchanged text messages with filmmaker Woody Allen and maintained contact with other prominent figures. None of the individuals mentioned in the files have been charged with crimes related to Epstein’s activities, aside from Maxwell.
Musk has not been accused of any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein. The United States Virgin Islands issued a subpoena to Musk in 2023 as part of a lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase over suspicions that Epstein may have attempted to refer Musk as a client to the bank.
