Elon Musk has a wild story!" he captioned it. Viral: When Elon Musk's bank account was in negative due to student Im not sure if replying to a satire site and amplifying their articles reach is necessarily the best idea, but Musk felt that this was a hill worth dying on. In that way, Errol might be like estranged Elon after all. "'His Family Stole an Emerald Mine.'" Whats very difficult for others is easy for me. Fortier, Alexander. I couldnt even afford a 2nd PC at Zip2, so programmed at night & website only worked during day. Britannica.com, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Zip2. This is why people are switching to @TheBabylonBee! Musk wrote. Elon and Kimbal allegedly sold 2 emeralds: one worth $800 and another worth $1200. "I started my first company with $2,500, and I had one computer and a car that I bought for $1,400, and all that debt. [1] His father was a South African veteran of World War II and his mother was British. We were going to fly into Jeddah and there was a religious holiday and they said if we come in now we have to pay $2,000 but if we wait 10 days we can come in at no charge. This article is actually accurate: https://t.co/eVpCX9V1NB. "Like every abused woman, I was embarrassed, and I knew I had made a mistake, you know? On Aug. 17, 2009, The New Yorker printed one of the earliest known searchable records of an emerald mine being tied to the Musk name. [15][16] At the time of their marriage, Jana Bezuidenhout was only four years old and lived together with them. Get down!'. In the biography Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX and the Quest for a Fantastic Future, author Ashlee Vance wrote that Errol invested $28,000 in Elon and Kimbal's then-fledgling company, Zip2. "The Man Who's Revolutionizing The Future Of Driving -- And The Universe." Regardless of your opinion of him, he is aself-made billionaire. "We were very wealthy. 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. Errol employed a cutter in Johannesburg and sold the stones wherever his travels as an engineer or family holidays took him. "'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." 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? "I Talked to Elon Musk about Journalism and the Blood Emeralds Story." He also co-founded PayPal, which means a Twitter user said The WHOLE bank on the internet was started by him (yes, your credit card as well). "Almost every evil thing you could possibly think of, he has done It's so terrible, you can't believe it. They also emphasize anecdotes from Elon and his mother about the hard work and squalor they endured in Canada in those years. [10] She gave birth to three children; Elon Reeve Musk born on 28 June 1971, Kimbal Reeve Musk born on 20 September 1972, and Tosca Musk born on 20 July 1974. With a net worth of $37 billion, Musk hopes to revolutionize transportation on Earth and in space, bringing fully-electric vehicles to the mass market through his auto manufacturing company, Tesla. "He didn't own an emerald mine & I worked my way through college, ending up ~$100k in student debt. Errol Musk, the familys patriarch, is in the news after confirming he fathered a second secret love child with his stepdaughter, Jana Bezuidenhout, 35. ", 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. I tried threats, rewards, intellectual arguments, emotional arguments, everything to try to change my father for the better, and he no way, it just got worse., Errol subsequently told the publication in an email: Ive been accused of being a Gay, a Misogynist, a Paedophile, a Traitor, a Rat, a St (quite often), a Bastard (by many women whose attentions I did not return) and much more. Elon Musk isn't innovative. Image via Instagram @mayemusk. [20] At the time of their daughter's birth, according to The Times, Musk was 72 and Jana Bezuidenhout was 30 years old. Bill Gates' mom helped Microsoft get a deal with IBM. You have no idea. "Can Elon Musk Really Get Us To Mars Within 10 Years?" He also claimed, "My father & his extended family have been dependent on financial support from my brother & me for over 20 years.". 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. Elon was said to be particularly furious that his father had impregnated his stepsister. "Exploring the otherworldly ambitions of Elon Musk", "How To Raise A Billionaire: An Interview With Elon Musk's Father, Errol Musk", "Who Is Elon Musk's Estranged Father? ". 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. Errols other children we also shocked and uncomfortable about the surprise pregnancy. In 1972, Errol was elected to the Pretoria City Council in his native South Africa. 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. It spoke of the divorce of Elon's parents, Errol and Maye Musk, and also contained a quick mention of an emerald mine. From impregnating his stepdaughter to the emerald mine, here's what we know about Elon Musk's South African father Errol Musk. He will plan evil, Elon tearfully told Rolling Stone in 2017. In the mid-1980s, the family profited handsomely from Errol Musk's purchasing of an emerald mine, after selling their airplane for 80,000 (the equivalent of 320,000 today). However, any reconciliation was apparently short-lived. Jeff Bezos' garage-based start was funded by a quarter . So we decided to head back to Lake Tanganyika from where we were, I think we were in Djibouti., Errol Musk (father of one Elon Musk) on raising one of the world's most famous billionaires: http://t.co/Fg8xmqN1L0 pic.twitter.com/LVJyMdebZK. Photo: Cyrus McCrimmon/The Denver Post/Getty Images; Anthony Harvey/Getty Images, Elon Musk and Amber Heard's Relationship Timeline, Elon Musk Claims He Had 'No Choice' But to Make Mass Layoffs at Twitter, Elon Musk Buys Twitter for $44B Following Legal Battle with Company, Fires Top Execs: Reports, Twitter Founder Jack Dorsey Apologizes Following Layoffs at the Company After Elon Musk's Takeover, Twitter to Lay Off Several Employees Over Email amid Elon Musk Takeover: Reports, Employees Suing Twitter In Response to Elon Musk's Plans for Mass Layoffs, Elon Musk Goes to Heidi Klum's Halloween Party as Stars Vow to Leave Twitter Over Controversy, When Will Donald Trump Return to Twitter? Meanwhile, Musk's defenders often say that the mogul has denied this story, though that is not precisely true either. Offers may be subject to change without notice. On July 28, 2014, Forbes.com published an interview with Elon Musk, which was conducted by Jim Clash. 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. Kaizer Chiefs to sign more Stellenbosch players? Musk, Errol. So I became a half owner of the mine, and we got emeralds for the next six years.. Errol named his price, and a deal was done. The claim attracted a response from the billionaire, who said that the claim isn't true. In a 2017 email to employees which the company later released in response to one of the lawsuits, Elon warned against being a huge jerk to members of a historically less represented group. He also wrote, if someone is a jerk to you, but sincerely apologizes, it is important to be thick-skinned and accept that apology.. The eccentric billionaire once again attempted to set the record straight about his familys emerald mines to respond to Twitter user @howlpolitically. In Errol's case, we sent a message to his Facebook profile. Meanwhile, Elon has himself admitted that his father has a very high IQ and is brilliant at engineering. In 2017, he also told Rolling Stone that Errol was the youngest person to get a professional engineers qualification in South Africa., Im naturally good at engineering thats because I inherited it from my father, the worlds richest man stated. Black Americans Have the Highest Mortality Rates But Lowest Levels of Life Insurance Are broader financial markets in a massive speculative bubble? We also reached out to media relations personnel at SpaceX, where he is the founder and CEO, as well as Tesla and Twitter. The wealth earned from the investment in the mine was quantified to be about $400,000 USD, taking into account inflation when Arnold's piece was written in 2021, according to Errol. 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. "There was just stacks of money and he paid me out, 80,000, it was a huge amount of money." Meet Elon Musk's controversial father, Errol ", 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. [Jana] stayed here for about 18 months after Rushi was born. My dad will have a carefully thought-out plan of evil. For a while, I thought things were so obvious that everyone must know this.". The article was republished in several other newspapers around the U.S. Vance, Ashlee. This is a pretty awful lie, Elon tweeted. 2023 The Moguldom Nation. ERROL IS A RETIRED SOUTH AFRICAN ENGINEER. On May 22, 2020, Bloomberg.com published an interview with Elon, which was penned by Ashlee Vance. Or they'd take the plane to Lake Tanganyika [in Zambia], where Errol had a stake in an emerald mine. 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. 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. "We went to . "He didn't own an emerald mine & I worked my way through college, ending up ~$100k in student debt," Elon tweeted in December 2019. Jump to Main content Search Account Menu icon A vertical stack of three evenly spaced horizontal. Copyright 2023 Market Realist. Harris Goe Canadian teacher with size-Z prosthetic breasts placed on paid leave, What's next for Buster Murdaugh after dad's murder conviction, life sentence, Murdaugh son collapsed outside court after sitting stone-faced through dad's 6-week murder trial: source, Murderer Alex Murdaugh shaves head for latest mugshot after learning his fate, Kelly Osbourne posts first photo of baby son as he hangs out with uncle Jack, Greys Anatomy alum Isaiah Washington retiring from acting: The haters have won, Madonna watches new boyfriend Joshua Poppers fight in New York City, Kellyanne Conway and George Conway to divorce. On Wednesday, Errol confirmed that he and Jana had welcomed a second child, a daughter who is now 3. Some of his most vocal detractors have promoted the idea that Musk, like Trump, began his career backed by the deep pockets of dear old dad. We were very wealthy. It would have been great if someone was paying for my college, but my dad had neither the ability nor the inclination to do so. Elon Musk addresses emerald mines and apartheid claims - The South African 1995 - 2023 by Snopes Media Group Inc. The funding we raised for our first company came from a small group of random angel investors in Silicon Valley. After obtaining the mine, he tells that he had so much money, that 'he couldn't close his safe'. ", 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.". Maye and Errol divorced in 1980 when Elon was about 9 years old. Here is the incredible true story of Errol Musk and the striking similarities he shares with his powerful son. Its obvious why Musk would want to distance himself from apartheid in every possible way. In 2018, Musk also told Business Insider that his father Errol purchased a 50 per cent share in the mine after selling a plane. So I thought, I can be company. Yeah, I was sad for my father. Although Musk said that his father was brilliant at engineering in the Rolling Stone interview, thats where the praise ended. https://web.archive.org/. Musk, who is never shy of saying his say online, took to Twitter to show his disappointment with The Onion and took the opportunity to shout-out the publications competition, The Babylon Bee. * The headline of this article was updated toreflect that the Musk family once owned the mine in question, and no longer do. Aside from that hes just dumb. Musk's defenders have also pointed out that Errol's alleged trade took place in the mid-1980s, at which point Zambia was independent. We've received your submission. 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. The interview is no longer available on the Forbes website. Elon has himself admitted that his father has a very high IQ and is brilliant at engineering.. "Back when I was ~$100k negative with student debt," he wrote. "I screwed up the marriage, I was totally responsible. For the state of Texas, The Onion printed, "Elon Musk: Apartheid.". How Elon Musk made his money - from emeralds to SpaceX and Tesla First, we have republished past statements from both Errol and Elon. On their way to England, Errol and his copilot got word that their original flight plan was going to cost a lot of money. ", Musk tackled it on Twitter as the story circulated, but his denials do not explicitly contradict his father's tale of the bizarre airplane-emerald mine trade. South Africa Blue Sky Publications (Pty) Ltd T/A TheSouthAfrican Number: 2005/028472/07. People.Com, 7 Nov. 2022, https://people.com/human-interest/who-is-errol-musk-elon-musk-father/. On March 25, 2021, Elon Musktweetedthat the emerald mine inheritance rumor was false, and that he had arrived by himself in Canada in 1989 "with ~CA$2,500." In the interview, the Tesla owner briefly mentioned that his father had a share in an emerald mine in Zambia. "Elon Musk's Family Once Owned an Emerald Mine in Zambia Here's the Fascinating Story of How They Came to Own It." This material may not be reproduced without permission. " he told the outlet. His brother Kimbal was with him when the two brothers sold two of the gems to Tiffany & Co. for $2,000, according to their father. He would throw out everything they arrived with, so I had to buy them all new clothes and school things. Errol also added that his children were keenly aware of the country's government-sanctioned racial segregation. But I've been in physical danger before. Elon Musk: The Truth About His Dad and Emerald Mines - Trending Forbes, 1 Oct. 2016, https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimclash/2016/10/01/can-elon-musk-really-get-us-to-mars-within-10-years/. Snopes and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes.com, Image Via PHILIP PACHECO/AFP via Getty Images. [11][5] Maye has stated that Errol beat her. Musk, Elon. I've tried everything. Former Tesla employees have reported racist behavior and attempted to sue over it. He's having a tantrum, like a spoilt child. Earlier in this story, we referenced a July 3, 2020, tweet from Elon that mentioned Vance's interview. This is going to sound slightly crazy, but my father also had a share in an Emerald mine in Zambia. All About Errol Musk", "50 years of Elon Musk's huge wealth, from emeralds to SpaceX and Tesla", "How Elon Musk made his money - from emeralds to SpaceX and Tesla", "Elon Musk Left a South Africa That Was Rife With Misinformation and White Privilege", "At 68, Maye Musk, the Mother of Elon, Is Reclaiming the Spotlight", "El padre de Elon Musk dice que la ambicin de su hijo se debe a la educacin austera que recibi: "Fui un padre estricto", "BBC Two - The Elon Musk Show, Series 1, Episode 2", "Elon Musk's dad reveals he fathered an "unplanned" child with his stepdaughter", "Elon Musk's father has baby with step-daughter he has known since she was four", "Elon Musk's father confirms second child with his own stepdaughter - report", "Errol Musk explains why he got his stepdaughter pregnant", "Ayah Elon Musk Punya Bayi dari Hubungan dengan Putri Tirinya", "Meet Elon Musk's controversial father, Errol", "Errol Musk hat Kind mit Stieftochter: "Wir sind zum Fortpflanzen auf der Welt", "Elon Musk's Dad Says Company Wants His Sperm to Impregnate 'High-Class' Women", Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future, Ludicrous: The Unvarnished Story of Tesla Motors, Power Play: Tesla, Elon Musk, and the Bet of the Century, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Errol_Musk&oldid=1142497006, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 18:50. I tried threats, rewards, intellectual arguments, emotional arguments, everything to try to change my father for the better, and he no way, it just got worse. The tweet was shared as a screenshot on Imgur.com, which showed the image had been viewed more than 300,000 times. As well as providing links, people started commenting Musk's own words back at him under his tweet. "Everybody I knew called him 'the Pig' because he treated me so badly in public. To add to the truth, we went to Boston Chicken in Philadelphia for Thanksgiving because we couldnt afford a turkey. Elon Musk's father planned to fly a plane from South Africa to England and sell it once they got there. In an interview with Business Insider South Africa, Errol admitted that, at one point, he literally made more money than he could physically handle. My Dad provided 10% of a ~$200k angel funding round much later, but by then risk was reduced & round would've happened anyway.". He's the son of Maye Musk, a model and dietitian from Canada, and Errol Musk, a South African electromechanical engineer, pilot, and sailor. An avid pilot and sailor, as well as an electrical and mechanical engineer, he made his money consulting and developing properties and retired early. The 51-year-old has refuted claims that he grew up rich amid statements that his father Errol owned an emerald mine in . Its so terrible, you cant believe it.. Musk replied, linking to Jeremy Arnolds article, which gave Musks side of the story. Almost every evil thing you could possibly think of, he has done. A Twitter user claimed in December 2019 that Elon Musk's privileged upbringing included his father, Errol Musk, who owned an emerald mine [and] who could bankroll his education. However, the Tesla CEO begged to differ. EM: Company death not succeeding with the company causes me a lot more stress than physical danger. Errol Musk's Emerald Mine (@ErrolsEmeralds) / Twitter His grandmother broke barriers of her own, becoming the first-ever chiropractor in Canada. He has also fathered two children, a son and a daughter, with his stepdaughter Jana Bezuidenhout. "One thing led to another you can call it God's plan or nature's plan. Our offices are for administrative purposes only, no visitors will be accepted without an appointment. According to reporting we reviewed, the stake his father had in the emerald mine appeared to have both started and ended in the 1980s. At the conference, Elon talked to some professors who told Errol, This boy needs to get his hands on one of these computers. The Onion, a satirical publication, shared. Errol has long since retired from the engineering business and now lives a quiet life in the Western Cape in South Africa. Elon would later get his own pilot's license but no longer has time to fly. Errol was born in South Africa to a British mother and a South African father. On Feb. 23, 2018, Business Insider SA published a story with the headline, "'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." Instead, we will concentrate on the two Business Insider South Africa articles mentioned by Arnold that appeared to provide the roots of the "apartheid emerald mine" rumor. Friend, Tad. Where is this bs coming from?" However, both Elon and . By email, Clash told us he had no idea why it was no longer hosted by Forbes. He can't have what he wants and now I am apparently an evil monster.". Errol told Business Insider South Africa that he co-owned an emerald mine in Zambia. Errol Musk Net Worth: Inside the Fortune of Elon Musk's Dad We went to this guys prefab, and he opened his safe, and there [were] just stacks of money, and he paid me out 80,000, It was a huge amount of money, he said. That conversation is more valuable but less newsworthy than just resurfacing the same lazy claims every few months, which are guaranteed to get clicks. A post on Reddit mentioned a theory that said Elon "convinced these publications to remove the articles," but there's no evidence to support that. [2] His grandmother was the first chiropractor in Canada. Address: Riverbank House, 1 Putney Bridge Approach, London, SW6 4TJ.