Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Peter Thiel

Controversies are a part of history. Explore the biggest scandals linked to Peter Thiel.

Peter Thiel is an American entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and political activist known for co-founding PayPal, Palantir Technologies, and Founders Fund. He was also the first outside investor in Facebook. As of March 2025, his net worth is estimated at $16.2 billion, ranking him among the wealthiest individuals globally.

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Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

1995: Thiel and Sacks publish The Diversity Myth

In 1995, Peter Thiel and David O. Sacks published "The Diversity Myth," a book criticizing political correctness and multiculturalism in higher education.

The Diversity Myth : Multiculturalism and Political Intolerance on Campus

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1995: Thiel Co-Authors The Diversity Myth

In 1995, Peter Thiel co-authored "The Diversity Myth: Multiculturalism and the Politics of Intolerance at Stanford" with David O. Sacks, criticizing political correctness and multiculturalism in higher education.

The Diversity Myth: Multiculturalism and the Politics of Intolerance at Stanford

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2007: Gawker publishes article outing Thiel

In 2007, Gawker published an article publicly outing Peter Thiel, headlined "Peter Thiel is totally gay, people."

2009: Thiel helps fund O'Keefe's "Taxpayers Clearing House" video

In 2009, it was reported that Peter Thiel helped fund college student James O'Keefe's "Taxpayers Clearing House" video, a satirical look at the Wall Street bailout.

2009: Thiel essay expresses disillusionment with democracy

In a 2009 essay, Peter Thiel expressed he "no longer believe that freedom and democracy are compatible" and focused on technologies like cyberspace, space colonization, and seasteading to create new spaces for freedom.

August 2011: Thiel Obtains New Zealand Citizenship

In August 2011, Peter Thiel received New Zealand citizenship in a private ceremony, despite not meeting the typical residency requirements, raising questions about the criteria for citizenship.

2011: Thiel Granted New Zealand Citizenship

In 2011, Peter Thiel was controversially granted New Zealand citizenship after the Fifth National Government intervened on his behalf, despite spending only 12 non-consecutive days in the country.

May 2016: Thiel confirms financing lawsuits against Gawker

In May 2016, Peter Thiel confirmed that he had paid $10 million in legal expenses to finance lawsuits against Gawker Media, including a lawsuit by Terry Bollea (Hulk Hogan).

August 2016: Gawker Media closes due to Bollea lawsuit

In August 2016, Gawker announced it was permanently closing due to the $140 million jury award in the lawsuit financed by Peter Thiel brought by Terry Bollea (Hulk Hogan).

2016: Thiel Apologizes for Statements in The Diversity Myth

In 2016, Peter Thiel apologized for insensitive statements made in "The Diversity Myth", specifically regarding rape crisis movements and multicultural rape charges, expressing regret for the passages.

2016: Thiel Funded Hulk Hogan's Lawsuit Against Gawker

In 2016, Peter Thiel confirmed that he had funded Hulk Hogan in the Bollea v. Gawker lawsuit because Gawker had previously outed Thiel as gay. The lawsuit eventually bankrupted Gawker and led to founder Nick Denton's bankruptcy.

2017: Thiel invests in Clearview AI

In 2017, Peter Thiel was one of the first outside investors in Clearview AI, a facial recognition technology startup that has raised concerns in the tech world and media for its risks of weaponization.

2017: Thiel's New Zealand Citizenship Made Public

In 2017, Peter Thiel's New Zealand citizenship, obtained in 2011, became public, leading to scrutiny of the circumstances surrounding its acquisition and the potential influence of his connections.

2019: Thiel calls Google "seemingly treasonous"

In 2019, Peter Thiel called Google "seemingly treasonous" and urged a government investigation, citing Google's work with China and questioning if DeepMind or Google's senior management had been "infiltrated" by foreign intelligence agencies.