The Securities and Exchange Commission is suing Elon Musk — again
The SEC filed a lawsuit against Tesla CEO and X owner Elon Musk alleging he failed to promptly report that he’d amassed a more than 5% stake in what was then Twitter in early 2022 ahead of taking over the company. His delay, the SEC said, caused Twitter investors to lose more than $150 million, since news of his growing ownership would have driven up the stock.
This isn’t the first time Musk — who has said, “I do not respect the SEC” — has ended up in the government agency’s crosshairs over his actions in relation to a takeover bid. In 2018, the SEC charged Musk with fraud over a tweet claiming he had “funding secured” to take Tesla private at $420 per share. As part of the settlement, Musk was forced to step down as the car company’s chairman of the board, personally pay $20 million in fines, and have a securities lawyer look over potentially market-moving tweets — an order the SEC has argued hasn’t consistently been followed.
This isn’t the first time Musk — who has said, “I do not respect the SEC” — has ended up in the government agency’s crosshairs over his actions in relation to a takeover bid. In 2018, the SEC charged Musk with fraud over a tweet claiming he had “funding secured” to take Tesla private at $420 per share. As part of the settlement, Musk was forced to step down as the car company’s chairman of the board, personally pay $20 million in fines, and have a securities lawyer look over potentially market-moving tweets — an order the SEC has argued hasn’t consistently been followed.