[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Joselgina] The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 24th (local time), citing sources, that Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and the world's richest person, had an affair with the wife of Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google and a 'close friend,' leading to the breakdown of their long-standing friendship.
According to the report, CEO Musk had been close to Brin for many years, even regularly staying at Brin's Silicon Valley residence. However, tensions between them have escalated in recent months. A source said that Brin instructed his financial advisors to divest personal investments in companies owned by CEO Musk.
Brin, one of the most famous American entrepreneurs, ranks as the 8th richest person in the world according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. During the 2008 global financial crisis, he supported CEO Musk with about $500,000 when Musk was struggling to expand production. In return, CEO Musk once proudly gifted Brin one of Tesla's first electric utility sport vehicles (SUVs) in 2015, demonstrating their close relationship.
According to documents filed with the Santa Clara County Court in California, Brin filed for divorce from his wife Nicole Shanahan in January this year, citing "irreconcilable differences." Sources confirmed that the divorce lawsuit was filed a few weeks after Brin discovered that CEO Musk had a brief affair with his wife.
Google co-founder Sergey Brin (right) and Nicole Shanahan (left), who is undergoing divorce proceedings
The affair reportedly took place in early December last year at the Art Basel event held in Miami. It was shortly after CEO Musk broke up with his girlfriend Grimes (real name Claire Boucher).
Sources said that earlier this year at a party, CEO Musk knelt before Brin and apologized for the affair, seeking forgiveness. Brin accepted the apology but is known not to engage in regular conversations with Musk.
CEO Musk has recently been embroiled in a series of sexual scandals. In May, the U.S. economic media Business Insider reported allegations that Musk sexually harassed a female flight attendant on a SpaceX private jet in 2016. It was also revealed this month that he secretly had twins through a relationship with a female executive in her 30s at Neuralink.
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