Elon Musk's Alleged Intimate Relationships With SpaceX Colleagues Under Scrutiny: Rocket Company Calls It 'Completely Misleading Narrative' – Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA)

Elon Muskthe CEO of EspaceX, was criticized for his alleged intimate relationships with female colleagues at the company. The allegations have raised concerns about a culture of sexism and harassment at SpaceX.

What happened: A recent Wall Street Journal report detailed Musk's alleged relationships with several female colleagues at SpaceX. The report, based on conversations with more than four dozen people, including former employees and friends of the women, suggests that Musk's behavior contributed to a culture of sexism and harassment within the company.

A woman, an intern at SpaceX, allegedly had a romantic relationship with Musk, who is more than 20 years her senior. The relationship allegedly began during her internship and continued after she joined the company as a full-time employee. She ultimately left the company in 2019.

During her employment at SpaceX from 2017 to 2019, she clarified that there was at no time a “romantic relationship” with Musk. “Nothing Elon Musk did toward me during any of my periods of employment at SpaceX was predatory or wrongful in any way,” the woman said.

Another woman, a SpaceX flight attendant, claimed Musk exposed himself to her in 2016 and offered to buy her a horse in exchange for sexual favors. A third woman, who left the company in 2013, claimed Musk asked her to have his babies.

Former SpaceX executives and employees who were fired after filing a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board in 2022 say a high-level group around Musk is not holding him accountable, contributing to a culture sexism and harassment.

There is a perception that Musk, a charismatic leader admired by many as a genius, can act with impunity. A former engineer recalls an executive saying in a June 2022 meeting after the firing of some SpaceX employees who had criticized Musk: “Elon is SpaceX, and SpaceX is Elon.”

President and COO of SpaceX Gwynne Shotwell said the Wall Street Journal's reporting does not accurately represent SpaceX's culture.

“The untruths, misinterpretations and revisionist history contained in your (Wall Street Journal) letter paint a completely misleading narrative,” she said. “I continue to be amazed by what this extraordinary group of people accomplish every day, even in the midst of all the forces working against us. And Elon is one of the best humans I know.”

SpaceX did not immediately respond to Benzinga's request for comment.

See also: “The city is in a disaster spiral,” says Elon Musk but won't move Twitter out of San Francisco

Why is this important: The allegations against Musk are not the first of their kind. In 2022, Musk was accused of having an affair with the wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin, which would have led to the couple's divorce. Musk has denied the allegations, calling them “total bullshit.”

Elon Musk, one of the world's richest people, runs several major companies, including publicly traded electric vehicle maker Tesla, aerospace company SpaceX and social media platform. X.

SpaceX has secured billions of dollars in federal contracts and plays a crucial role in NASA and the Pentagon's space programs. Meanwhile, Tesla is holding a shareholder vote, which closes June 13, on Elon Musk's $46 billion compensation package, which a Delaware court struck down in January over concerns about the approval process.

In 2023, Musk was once again accused of being a homewrecker amid Brin's finalized divorce. Court documents revealed that Brin and his attorney Nicole Shanahanwho started dating in 2015 and married in 2018, now share custody of their 4-year-old daughter.

Earlier this year, Musk and Shanahan were accused of having a ketamine-fueled affair, which both parties have denied. The allegations were revealed in a New York Times article that also delved into Shanahan's relationship with Brin, her divorce and her campaign as a 2024 presidential candidate with Robert F. Kennedy Jr..

Read next: A day after shutting down Tesla phone rumors, Elon Musk says it's 'not out of the question'

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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Kaustubh Bagalkote