Get down!'. "Is It True That Elon Musk's Family Got Their Wealth from Apartheid Emerald Mining?" What We Know About Elon Musk and the Emerald Mine Rumor Instead Errol returned to South Africa with a half-share in a Zambian emerald mine, which would help to fund his family's lavish lifestyle of yachts, skiing holidays, and expensive computers. Although Musk said that his father was brilliant at engineering in the Rolling Stone interview, thats where the praise ended. Who is Errol Musk? Five things to know about Elon's SA father Elon Musk Gets Triggered By A Joke From 'The Onion' - Forbes After Maye and Errol divorced in 1980, Elon mostly lived with his father, who says he owned thoroughbred horses, a yacht, several houses and a Cessna. Errol admitted to having affairs, but his ex-wife, now a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model, said the problems in their marriage extended beyond infidelity, alleging that Errol was abusive. " he told the outlet. He talks about the risk factors for Bitcoin as an investment asset including origin risk, speculative market structure, regulatory, and environment. It was revealed last weekthat he welcomed twochildren with an executiveat his artificial intelligence company, Neuralink, just weeks before hissecond child with his ex-girlfriend, Grimes,was born. Still, it wasarchived by the Internet Archive. ", In the post, he claimed that his family stood in opposition to apartheid, saying he went so far as to be elected as a Pretoria city councillor to aid that opposition. ", According to the story, Errol said that Elon "once walked the streets of New York with emeralds in his pocket." Several respondents on social media disputed the emerald mine and privileged-lifestyle story, defending Musks intelligence and questioning the intelligence of the person who started the thread. Errol Musk Net Worth: Inside the Fortune of Elon Musk's Dad [2] In 1969, he became a 50% owner of an emerald mine on Lake Tanganyika,[2][5] that he bought for 40,000, funded by selling an airplane for 80,000 (the equivalent of 320,000 today). coming from?. It was a lucrative decision. If I could have another child I would. Almost every evil thing you could possibly think of, he has done.". SpaceX, his rocket company, is valued at $20 billion-plus. Here's a summary of our findings: We located reporting from as far back as 2009 and 2014 that said when Elon Musk ("Elon" hereafter) was a child in South Africa in the 1980s, his father ("Errol" hereafter) at some point owned "a stake in an emerald mine" near Lake Tanganyika in Zambia, not South Africa. His net worth is. Elon Musk was highlighted as the wealthiest resident of Texas, Americas second-biggest state. "There was just stacks of money and he paid me out, 80,000, it was a huge amount of money." ERROL IS A RETIRED SOUTH AFRICAN ENGINEER. These tweets from December 2019 appeared to have stemmed, at least in part, from a since-deleted tweet from a user with the handle @1aprildaniels. The story made no further mention of the mine. Kimbal is a millionaire who owns restaurant chains and spearheads a nonprofit education program, The Kitchen Community, which grows vegetables in the U.S. Tosca is a film producer and director. Errols grandmother was Canadas first chiropractor, while Errols own mom and dad were the first two people to fly from South Africa to Australia in a single-engine airplane, according to Forbes magazine. The patriarch confirmed the shootings to the publication in 2017, saying manslaughter charges were later dropped because he acted in self-defense. For a while, I thought things were so obvious that everyone must know this., However, Elon has disputed claims that he grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth. A common story about Musk on social media is that his father owned part of an emerald mine, providing a bedrock of wealth that buoyed Elon up to his current level of success. Ive tried everything. As well as providing links, people started commenting Musk's own words back at him under his tweet. R/EnoughMuskSpam via Reddit.com, 5 Dec. 2019, www.reddit.com/r/EnoughMuskSpam/comments/e6j76f/his_family_stole_an_emerald_mine/. In 2018, Errol Musk interviewed Business Insider South Africa, where he told a story about bartering his way into partial ownership of an emerald mine in Zambia. "The Man Who's Revolutionizing The Future Of Driving -- And The Universe." It is still hard to discern whether this story is true and what conclusions can be drawn. Britannica.com, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Zip2. Elon would later get his own pilot's license but no longer has time to fly. And he had a disastrous relationship with his father. Errol. Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future. Elon Musk isn't innovative. Born in 1971, Musk grew up in Pretoria, South Africa. I was 15 and really wanted to go with him but didn't realize how dangerous it was. We also reached out to both men for additional comment and to ask if they could potentially provide any evidence that would support their statements, even though they didn't start the rumor. Elon also denied that Errol invested in the company. A recurring theme on social media is the claim that Musks father owned an emerald mine and paid for his sons privileged upbringing and education. Musk has denied that story. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. We've received your submission. Errol met Maye Haldeman the lady who would become his wife at Clapham High School. Fact Check: Did Elon Musk Inherit Apartheid Money From His - Moguldom Here is the incredible true story of Errol Musk and the striking similarities he shares with his powerful son. In an email to Rolling Stone, Musk's father said he smacked the Tesla CEO only once and on the bottom. He also said that the only criminal charges that had been filed against him from when he killed three home invaders in self-defense had been cleared. "'We Had so Much Money We Couldn't Even Close Our Safe': Elon Musk's Dad Tells BI about the Family's Insanely Casual Attitude to Wealth." ", Elon has said one of the reasons he is so skilled at engineering is because of his father. When the same pattern of racist behavior happens at all $tsla locations, its the company thats racist, and the fish rots from @elonmusk s head.https://t.co/aKAP7vrT6G https://t.co/EMN9xQH06V. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. "I said, 'Oh, all right'. He just had a rich dad and a got lucky. ", In 2018, he explained that he was helping Jana get over a breakup at the time of Rushi's conception, but he initially assumed the baby's father was Jana's ex. The article's headline was changed in late July or early August 2020, which appeared to be after Errol made his Facebook poston July 27, which called the dated article's claims into question. This is going to sound slightly crazy, but my father also had a share in an Emerald mine in Zambia. He didnt own an emerald mine, and I worked my way through college, ending up [around] $100,000 in student debt, Elon tweeted. To summarize Arnold's story would be difficult, as it contained a considerable amount of data and analysis. By some accounts, Elon is reported to have witnessed the attack, with Errol later telling Rolling Stone that he acted in self-defense; he was never convicted of any crime. For what it's worth, my reporting, based on conversations with hundreds of people, confirms Musk's story. ", His post ended with this: "Finally, it is necessary to acknowledge the wrong and oppressive nature of apartheid and we do need to recognise the pain and suffering it caused for many South Africans, but I do not feel it is fair to associate any of that with what Elon has achieved through hard work since he left South African shores as a teenager of 17.". [15][16] At the time of their marriage, Jana Bezuidenhout was only four years old and lived together with them. How much of a Momentum Proteas Womens cricket fan are you? The interview is no longer available on the Forbes website. He told The New York Times that as a member of the Progressive Party, he opposed apartheid. At 17, Musk decided to leave home, heading first to Canada and then the U.S. for university. Elon Musk: The Truth About His Dad and Emerald Mines, Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes Should Remain On-Air Couple After ABC Exit, According to TV Host, King Charles' Reported Reason for Evicting Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Revealed, Hoda Kotb Makes Brief 'Today Show' Appearance Amid Family Health Matter, 'Creed III': Why Sylvester Stallone and Rocky Balboa Are Missing From Latest Film, Disney World Brings Back 'Beauty & the Beast' Experience for First Time Since COVID-19 Pandemic Began, QVC Hosts Call it Quits After Nearly 20 Years, Florida Residents Urged to Use Caution With Tap Water After Man Dies From Brain-Eating Amoeba. But by many accounts, the issues at the Tesla factory go beyond the need for a thick skin, New York Times reported. The Associated Press, 20 July 2021, https://apnews.com/article/business-science-3546262d41f4c84763aa15339f642a5a. Unlike his son, Tesla and Twitter CEO Elon Musk, Errol has mostly flown under the radar, though the father of seven has had an increasingly public profile over the last few years, largely due to his complicated family relationships. Fortier, Alexander. In Errol's case, we sent a message to his Facebook profile. [4], Musk met Maye Haldeman when he was 11 years old and they were childhood friends before marrying in 1970. Musk's critics often paraphrase the story on social media, who accuse him not only of benefitting from wealth rather than genius but of indirectly profiting from Apartheid. Almost every evil thing you could possibly think of, he has done. @spylinen tweeted, The mine was in Zambia, which became independent of the UK in 1964. "They didn't like it.". However, that as well as Errol's claim of owning half of an emerald mine is in stark contrast to what Elon has said about his father's wealth. Moneycontrol.com, 21 Sept. 2022, https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/trends/elon-musk-hits-out-at-us-professor-over-emerald-mine-claims-idiot-and-liar-9208281.html. Musk replied, linking to Jeremy Arnolds article, which gave Musks side of the story. Thereafter you will be billed R75 per month. "A Teenage Elon Musk Once Casually Sold His Father's Emeralds to Tiffany & Co. He didnt own an emerald mine & I worked my way through college, ending up ~$100k in student debt. Former Tesla employee Marcus Vaughn, who worked in the Fremont, California, factory in 2017, alleged that the companys production floor was a hotbed for racist behavior. Supervisors regularly used the N word around Black workers and he said he was fired after complaining to human resources about workplace harassment. Musk may not be a great guy, but I fail to see any apartheid link to his fathers emerald mine., @grard97 tweeted, Remind: Elon Musk owns an electric and autonomous car companyA private space landing rockets companyAn AI companyA Neuroscience companyA Solar Panel and energy storage companyThe WHOLE bank on the internet was started by him (yes, your credit card as well), @C49015142 tweeted, I thought I read in Malcolm Gladwells book David and Goliath that his company received $500 million from the US government, so we are all subsidizing him. "I said, 'Oh, all right.' He has also fathered two children, a son and a daughter, with his stepdaughter Jana Bezuidenhout. After the divorce, Elon lived with his father in Pretoria, where he attended Pretoria Boys High. In 2017, family members were left stunned when Jana became pregnant with Errols baby. Musk's father said that Tiffanys set the $800 emerald in a ring and offered it for $24,000, which he said was an object lesson in retail markup for the family. 1/2This article is false. Elon Musk Says He and His Brother Financed Their Father Errol Since 1990s He was such a terrible human being, Musk told the magazine. While the story merely pointed to the facts that apartheid existed at the time and the Musk family made money from emerald mining, Musk to his frustration has found it hard to brush off the narrative of his wealth being linked to apartheid. Other companies started by Musk include Neuralink, which is working on developing implantable brainmachine interfaces. CEO Elon Musk said his father Errol ran out of money in the '90s and was provided financial support by the entrepreneur and his brother. It was also shared on Reddit.com. Elon Musk addresses emerald mines and apartheid claims - The South African Musk's father, Errol, an engineer, married Maye when she was 22, and Musk was born shortly . Elon Musk addressed the recent social storm when claims related his family's emerald mines in apartheid-South Africa resurfaced online. by Marilynn Manuel 13-02-2023 13:43 It was kind of weird for them to walk into Tiffanys. Where is this bs coming from? "Everybody I knew called him 'the Pig' because he treated me so badly in public. He also called the whole rumor "BS.". "Nothing, nothing. He didnt own an emerald mine & I worked my way through college, ending up ~$100k in student debt. Ask him." He would throw out everything they arrived with, so I had to buy them all new clothes and school things. Elon Musk's father, Errol Musk, remains a mysterious figure, and there is still no common consensus how his work or his wealth during Elon's childhood. It was that lifestyle, Errol says, that turned Elon into the kind of merchant adventurer who would later break the rules of the motoring business with Tesla, then go on to change spaceflight with SpaceX. Vance wrote, "For what it's worth, my reporting, based on conversations with hundreds of people, confirms Musk's story. "But I mean, we were living together. In my experience, there is nothing you can do, Elon said of Errol. "Elon Musk's Family Once Owned an Emerald Mine in Zambia Here's the Fascinating Story of How They Came to Own It." Related stories Making better AI is Elon Musk's new object of . In the mid 1980s, Elon Musks father Errol and a copilot were on their way to England aboard a plane they hoped to sell when they landed there. Errol Musk bought 50% of the emerald mine in 1969 for about 40,000, which is equal to about 160 000 today. It was that lifestyle, Errol says, that turned Elon into the kind of merchant adventurer who would laterbreak the rules of the motoring businesswith Tesla, then go on tochange spaceflight with SpaceX, BI reported. Bloomberg.com, 22 May 2020. www.bloomberg.com, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2020-05-22/elon-musk-speaks-frankly-on-coronavirus-spacex-and-rage-tweets. Errol Musk, an engineer, owned a small percentage of an emerald mine and had a couple of good years before the mine went bust and wiped out his investment. I left South Africa by myself when I was 17 with just a backpack & suitcase of books. [21] As of 2022, Musk and Jana Bezuidenhout were no longer living together. So we went to this guy's prefab and he opened his safe and there was just stacks of money and he paid me out, 80,000, it was a huge amount of money, he said. And thats when Musk's father was offered half an emerald mine in return for half of his earnings. ", Five days later on Feb. 28, Business Insider SA published a second article with the headline, "Elon Musk's family owns an emerald mine in Zambia here's the fascinating story of how they came to own it.". "We went to this guy's prefab [home] and he opened his safe," Errol said. The way Errol tells it, that all started with an inconvenient religious holiday. She won't speak to me or engage me if we're in the same room which we have been often.". Errol Musk, the father of Elon Musk, told British tabloid The Sun Wednesday that he had a second and previously-unknown child with his stepdaughter, Jana Bezuidenhout, in 2019 leaving many. ---. So I became a half owner of the mine, and we got emeralds for the next six years.". Reich, theformer secretary of labor under U.S. President Bill Clinton and a professor of public policy at University of California, Berkeley, had tweeted,"Elon Musk came from a family that owned an emerald mine in apartheid South Africa." Has even greenlit racism by saying those on receiving end need thick skin.https://t.co/DhpANcrqNp https://t.co/OESO1BJTtE, Can he be held responsible for his dad's ethics tho? "Errol also quoted a lower number to me over the phone," Arnold wrote. So we got one, thank God at a discount, and with that computer he taught himself, using Disk Operating System, which is DOS, to program, Errol said. Behind the billions: Inside Errol Musk's emerald mine, net worth & scandals I've tried everything. Our offices are for administrative purposes only, no visitors will be accepted without an appointment. "Who Is Elon Musk's Estranged Father? Elon Musk's father, Errol Musk, remains a mysterious figure, and there is still no common consensus how his work or his wealth during Elon's childhood. He was married to Maye Musk and also to Heide Musk, with whom he has two children, Alexandra and Rose. After his divorce from Elons mother, Errol went on to wed HeideBezuidenhout, a young widow who already had two children, including 4-year-old Jana Bezuidenhout. He can't have what he wants and now I am apparently an evil monster.". Arnold, Jeremy. [18][19] Musk described the first child as unplanned. In 1970, Errol married modelMaye Haldeman Musk before the pair welcomed three children: Elon, Kimbal and Tosca. The rumor of the "apartheid emerald mine" received a spike in shares around the time that Elon Musk completed his takeover of Twitter in late 2022. 1995 - 2023 by Snopes Media Group Inc. The article was republished in several other newspapers around the U.S. You have no idea. Elon may have been 6 or 7 years old at the time and begged his dad to get him a ticket to a very early computer conference in South Africa. [1] His father was a South African veteran of World War II and his mother was British. He told me over and over that I was stupid, ugly, boring. Elon Musk addressed the recent social storm when claims related his familys emerald mines in apartheid-South Africa resurfaced online. To me, he sure is trying to make the world better right now, and thats the best thing he could do with his fathers money. On July 3, 2020, Elon tweeted about the subject again, responding to a since-deleted tweet with, "I don't have an 'emerald mine,' nor was I given free money from anyone, inheritance or otherwise. Wanderlust ran on both sides of the family. And, on at least one occasion, his now famous son also took his hand at dealing in the gems, with peculiar results. Where is this B.S. 2021, https://www.quora.com/Is-it-true-that-Elon-Musks-family-got-their-wealth-from-apartheid-emerald-mining. Elon Musk has a wild story!" he captioned it. Headded, also on Dec. 28, "We started Zip2 with ~$2k from me plus my overclocked home-built PC, ~$5k from my bro & ~$8k from Greg Kouri (such a good guy he is greatly missed).