Newly released Justice Department records show tech billionaire Elon Musk at one point expressed interest in visiting Jeffrey Epstein's private Caribbean island, complicating Musk's long-standing public claims that he rebuffed Epstein's invitations outright, NBC News reported Friday.
For years, Musk has downplayed his relationship with Epstein, a convicted sex offender who died in a New York jail in 2019.
That year, Musk told Vanity Fair he considered Epstein a "creep" and said Epstein "tried repeatedly to get me to visit his island," but insisted he declined.
However, emails released Friday paint a more nuanced picture.
The documents include at least 16 emails exchanged between Musk and Epstein from 2012 to 2013, with several messages showing Musk expressing interest in visiting Epstein's island, which later became notorious as a site tied to Epstein's abuse of women and girls.
"What day/night will be the wildest party on your island?" Musk wrote to Epstein in a November 2012 email, according to the records.
The emails suggest Musk sought to visit the island at least twice, in late 2012 and again in late 2013, indicating the interest was not entirely one-sided. The documents do not show whether Musk ultimately visited the island and do not accuse him of any wrongdoing.
Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to procuring an underage girl for prostitution and registered as a sex offender, though broader scrutiny of his island and associates intensified years later.
A separate document release last fall added to the controversy.
House Democrats published a copy of Epstein's daily schedules showing Musk was tentatively expected to visit the island in December 2014. Musk responded on X that the entry was "false," later adding, "Epstein tried to get me to go to his island and I REFUSED."
Beyond island discussions, the newly released emails show Musk and Epstein corresponding about solar energy, sleep, and potential meetings.
Their assistants coordinated possible sit-downs, including a planned lunch at SpaceX's office in February 2013. It remains unclear whether that meeting occurred.
One exchange from late September 2012 shows Musk telling Epstein they had a "very enjoyable conversation!" Epstein replied, "Hopefully the first of many."
In December 2012, Musk told Epstein he wanted to "hit the party scene" in the Caribbean.
"Do you have any parties planned?" Musk asked, adding that he wanted to "let loose" after a demanding year.
The two discussed lunch plans in early 2013, which Musk later canceled, citing illness. Emails from late 2013 show another attempt to coordinate a Caribbean visit, with Epstein offering to send a helicopter. The plans ultimately fell through.
The records were released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, passed by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump, which mandated the disclosure of millions of pages related to Epstein's network.
NBC News noted that while the emails raise questions about Musk's past statements, he has not been accused of any crimes in connection with Epstein.
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