A closer look at the defining struggles that shaped Elon Musk's life and career.
Elon Musk is a businessman, known for his involvement with Tesla, SpaceX, Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and his ownership of Twitter (X). He is currently the wealthiest person in the world, with an estimated net worth of US$397 billion as of February 2025.
2000: Contracted malaria
In 2000, Elon Musk contracted a severe case of malaria while on vacation in South Africa.
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2000: Ousting as CEO of X.com
In 2000, Elon Musk was ousted as CEO of X.com and replaced by Peter Thiel due to software and business model disagreements.
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2002: Death of Nevada Musk
In 2002, Elon Musk and Justine Wilson's first child, Nevada Musk, died of sudden infant death syndrome at the age of 10 weeks.
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2007: Conflicts within Tesla
In 2007, a series of escalating conflicts led to Martin Eberhard's ousting from Tesla.
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2018: SEC Sues Musk
In 2018, Elon Musk was sued by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for a tweet about taking Tesla private.
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2018: SEC Sues Musk
In 2018, Elon Musk was sued by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for a tweet about taking Tesla private.
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2018: SEC Lawsuit
In 2018, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) sued Elon Musk for fraud, alleging he falsely announced that he had secured funding for a private takeover of Tesla. He stepped down as chairman and paid a fine.
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2018: Musk's Pay Package From Tesla Rescinded
In January 2024, Delaware Judge Kathaleen McCormick ruled in a 2018 lawsuit that Elon Musk's $55 billion pay package from Tesla be rescinded.
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2019: SEC Asks Court to Hold Musk in Contempt
In 2019, the SEC reacted by asking a court to hold Elon Musk in contempt for violating the terms of the 2018 settlement agreement.
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January 2020: Settlement of SolarCity Lawsuit
In January 2020, Tesla directors settled the shareholder lawsuit regarding the SolarCity acquisition, leaving Elon Musk as the sole remaining defendant.
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2021: Asperger syndrome announcement on SNL
In 2021, while hosting Saturday Night Live, Elon Musk stated that he has Asperger syndrome, now merged with autism spectrum disorder, although he has not been medically diagnosed.
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2022: Federal Probe Launched into Neuralink
In 2022, a federal probe was launched into possible animal welfare violations by Neuralink.
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2022: Musk Changes Twitter Leadership and Policies
In 2022, after acquiring Twitter, Elon Musk fired top executives, instituted a monthly subscription for "blue check", laid off a significant portion of staff, and lessened content moderation.
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2022: SEC Sues Musk
In October 2023, the SEC sued Elon Musk over his refusal to testify a third time in an investigation into whether he violated federal law by purchasing Twitter stock in 2022.
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October 2023: SEC Sues Musk
In October 2023, the SEC sued Elon Musk over his refusal to testify a third time in an investigation into whether he violated federal law by purchasing Twitter stock in 2022.
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January 2024: Musk's Pay Package From Tesla Rescinded
In January 2024, Delaware Judge Kathaleen McCormick ruled in a 2018 lawsuit that Elon Musk's $55 billion pay package from Tesla be rescinded.
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January 2024: Reported recreational drug use
In January 2024, The Wall Street Journal reported that Elon Musk takes ketamine, LSD, cocaine, and other drugs recreationally.
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February 2024: Judge Rules Musk Must Testify Again
In February 2024, Judge Laurel Beeler ruled that Elon Musk must testify again in the SEC investigation.
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January 2025: SEC Files Lawsuit Against Musk
In January 2025, the SEC filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk for securities violations related to his purchase of Twitter.
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February 2025: Musk Criticized for Treatment of Government Employees
In February 2025, Musk was criticized for his treatment of government employees.
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