Musk under indictment for drug use: Tesla and SpaceX boards concerned

Cocaine, ecstasy, hallucinogenic mushrooms and ketamine. These would be the reasons behind the extravagant behaviour of Elon Musk. This was revealed by the Wall Street Journal, according to which some executives and board members of the tycoon's companies - from Tesla to SpaceX - are concerned that the tycoon's drug use could affect not only his personal health, but also the six companies and billions in assets he oversees: 'Musk is integral to the value of his companies and could affect investor confidence, putting tens of thousands of jobs at risk.

The newspaper reports direct testimony from people who claim to have seen Musk consume drugs such as LSD, cocaine, ecstasy and psychedelic mushrooms at private parties. These incidents would not be confined to the United States, but would occur in different parts of the world. Participants would be required to sign confidentiality agreements and turn off their mobile phones at the entrance, in order to avoid recording videos or taking compromising photos. In the crosshairs, in particular, an event in Los Angeles, in 2018, at which Musk allegedly took "several tablets", and one in 2019, in Mexico, during which he allegedly "partied" with mushrooms. "Musk has been known to attend parties and events at Burning Man, the Nevada arts and music festival where drugs are widely used, to blow off steam, according to people close to him," the WSJ states.

One of the most controversial aspects is the use of ketamine, a substance known for its psychedelic effects, for which Musk claims he has a prescription and uses it to combat depression. However, its consumption could be a violation of federal policies, jeopardising SpaceX's billions of dollars in government contracts. The federal contracts, in fact, oblige companies to comply with the Drug-Free Workplace Act, a 1988 regulation under which those awarded contracts by the federal government or obtaining federal grants must ensure drug-free work environments as a precondition. Any violation of the law, the Wall Street Journal reports, could blow SpaceX's contracts.

Not only Musk. The newspaper reveals, in fact, that even Steve Jurvetson, a current member of the SpaceX board of directors, has allegedly shared illegal drug use with the tycoon. This raises further concerns among the executives of the South African entrepreneur's companies.

The 'quirks' of Elon Musk, as described by the WSJ, include contrarian opinions, unfiltered speech and provocative behaviour. Many consider these characteristics an expression of the billionaire's creativity or the result of mental health problems, stress or sleep deprivation. Yet, according to the financial newspaper, there is growing concern among top management that another element, drug use in fact, could influence his behaviour.