Newly released documents tied to the federal investigation into Epstein include email exchanges in which Musk discussed the possibility of visiting Epstein’s private Caribbean island on more than one occasion.
The records were released by the U.S. Department of Justice on Friday, Jan. 30.
In one email exchange dated November 2012, Epstein asked Musk how many people he would be bringing by helicopter to the island. Musk replied that it would “probably just” Talulah Riley and him, referring to his partner at the time. Musk then asked, “What day/night will be the wildest party on your island?”
In another exchange from December 2013, Musk wrote that he would be in the British Virgin Islands/St. Saint Barthélemy area over the holidays and asked if there was a good time to visit. Epstein replied that any day from the 1st through the 8th would work and added that there was “always space” for him.
It is not clear from the documents whether any of the discussed visits happened. Musk has previously denied ever traveling to Epstein’s island.
The newly released materials also include 2012 emails in which Epstein asked whether SolarCity—a company Musk had close ties to and that was later acquired by Tesla, Inc. in 2016—could provide power to Epstein’s island or his ranch in New Mexico. According to the files, Musk said he followed up with a contact at the company about the request.
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Musk responded publicly to the newly released emails in a post on X on Saturday, Jan. 31, calling the disclosure “a distraction.” The messages themselves do not indicate wrongdoing by Musk.
“What matters is not release [sic] of some subset of the Epstein files, but rather the prosecution of those who committed heinous crimes with Epstein,” he wrote. He added that if there is “at least one arrest,” it would represent some measure of justice, and argued that otherwise the release would be “performative.”
In a separate post, Musk said he had never attended any parties connected to Epstein and again called for prosecution of anyone who committed crimes with him.
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A spokesperson for Musk did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Saturday.
Musk has previously said he visited Epstein’s home in Manhattan briefly in the afternoon with Riley, describing it as a short visit and saying he declined repeated invitations to the island. In that prior account, Musk also said Epstein was “obviously a creep.”
Musk has also denied introducing Epstein to Mark Zuckerberg, saying he did not recall introducing Epstein to anyone and that he did not know Epstein well enough to do so.
Epstein was arrested in July 2019 and charged with sex trafficking of minors. He died a month later in an apparent suicide while awaiting trial at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, New York in New York City.
