In what might be his most inflammatory statement to date, Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk launched another salvo at British cave diver Vern Unsworth, calling the man who had a role in rescuing a Thai boys soccer team from a flooded cave a “child rapist.”
Musk made the statement in an email exchange with Buzzfeed News, which the online news site posted late Tuesday. Buzzfeed said it originally reached out to Musk last Wednesday seeking comment about Unsworth’s lawyer possibly taking legal action against Musk for when he referred to Unsworth as “pedo guy” in a tweet back in July.
Buzzfeed said Musk began one of his emails by saying it was “off the record,” but the publication didn’t agree to that condition. In his email, Musk lashed out at Unsworth, and the Buzzfeed for defending someone who he claims to be a criminal.
“I suggest that you call people you know in Thailand, find out what’s actually going on and stop defending child rapists, you f—— a——,” Musk wrote in one email. “He’s an old, single white guy from England who’s been traveling to or living in Thailand for 30 to 40 years, mostly Pattaya Beach, until moving to Chiang Rai for a child bride who was about 12 years old at the time.”
And in another email, Musk threw down a gauntlet for Unsworth, and his lawyers, to take action against him for his public attack against Unsworth.
“As for this alleged threat of a lawsuit, which magically appeared when I raised the issue (nothing was sent or raised beforehand), I f——hope he sues me,” Musk wrote.
Musk’s back-and-forth with Unsworth began shortly after 12 members of a Thai boys soccer team, and their coach, were rescued from a flooded cave in Thailand in July. Musk offered the use of a mini-submarine to aid in the rescue efforts, a move which Unsworth called a “PR stunt” and said that Musk could “stick his submarine where it hurts.”
Tesla didn’t immediately return a request for comment on Musk’s latest statement about Unsworth. Musk has never provided any evidence related to his claims about Unsworth being a pedophile or child rapist.
Tesla’s board of directors, which includes Musk and his brother Kimbal, has also been mum with regard to its feelings about Musk’s statements. Tim Bajarin, tech industry analyst with Creative Strategies, said Tesla’s board may feel embarrassed by what Musk has said, but it would likely tread carefully around the subject of taking disciplinary action against a CEO who is the face and guiding force behind the company.
“There could be a point when Musk’s rhetoric crosses a line and it would be up to his board to deal with some form of corrective action,” Bajarin said. “However, removing him from his role would be the last option they would take if his comments really impacted the company’s performance.”
