The Department of Justice (DOJ) has escalated its criminal investigations into Elon Musk, the head of Twitter/X, who is a prominent critic of President Joe Biden.

The DOJ is looking into allegations that Musk received various benefits from his electric car company, Tesla, dating back to 2017, as part of an ongoing criminal investigation. This inquiry has expanded beyond its initial scope.

As was previously reported, the DOJ had initiated an investigation into Musk regarding claims that Tesla resources may have been used for secretive plans to construct a glass mansion for him.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the DOJ’s investigation now includes a broader range of claims. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York has also requested information on transactions between Tesla and other entities connected to Musk.

This expanded timeline and the broader scope of the investigation suggest that federal prosecutors have a deeper interest in both Musk and Tesla than previously known. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under President Biden has also launched a civil investigation into the construction project and is seeking similar information from the company.

The project, known as “Project 42,” was described internally at Tesla as a mansion for Musk and involved the construction of a glass-walled building near Tesla’s Gigafactory in Austin, Texas. Following the purchase of specialized glass worth millions of dollars, Tesla’s board members conducted a quiet investigation to determine whether company resources were misused for the project and if Musk had any involvement.

It’s important to note that Tesla is not solely focused on manufacturing cars; it also specializes in advanced solar roofs and energy storage systems for residential use.

Musk has denied these allegations, stating on his Twitter/X platform that there is no glass house being built, under construction, or planned, emphasizing that he is not involved in any house construction anywhere.

A recently released authorized biography of Elon Musk, the tech billionaire, revealed that last year, Musk considered the possibility of constructing a home for himself on a horse farm located across the Colorado River from the Texas factory. Reportedly, he even met with an architect to brainstorm designs but ultimately postponed the project, as documented by Walter Isaacson in the biography.

Musk proposed a design that included a shard of glass emerging from a lake, as detailed in the book.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) previously issued a statement indicating that they do not comment on the existence or nonexistence of potential investigations. SEC regulations mandate that public companies disclose any perks or personal benefits exceeding $10,000 provided to top officers, including the CEO.

In recent times, the regulatory agency has taken civil enforcement actions against publicly traded companies that failed to disclose executive perks, such as Hilton Worldwide and Stanley Black & Decker. The SEC also requires public companies to inform investors of any transactions exceeding $120,000 in which a related party, like an executive officer, holds a significant interest.

Information regarding the proposed glass mansion has been gradually emerging at Tesla for over a year. Plans evolved over time, with some renderings depicting a residential area featuring bedrooms, bathrooms, and a kitchen. One rendering portrayed the building as a glass cube similar to the Apple Store on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue, while another depicted it as a “twisted hexagon” adjacent to a body of water, with the Tesla factory in the background.

Additional renderings included a waterfall as part of the landscaping, leading some Tesla employees to speculate that the project might involve a museum of some kind. As of now, the building in question has not been constructed, and Tesla insiders are uncertain about the project’s status and the outcome of the board’s investigation.


RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR