Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

California’s Newsom Sues Fox News for $787 Million for Defamation Over Trump Call

29 minutes ago

Bill Moyers, Broadcaster and LBJ’s White House Press Secretary, Dies at 91

20 hours ago

State Department Approves $30 Million for Gaza Humanitarian Foundation

21 hours ago

Cargo Ship That Caught Fire Carrying Electric Vehicles Sinks in the Pacific

1 day ago

US Supreme Court Backs South Carolina Effort to Defund Planned Parenthood

1 day ago

4 Million Acres of California Forests Could Lose Protection. What Trump’s ‘Roadless Rule’ Repeal Could Do

2 days ago

West Nile Virus Detected in Mosquitoes in Fresno County

2 days ago
Tesla CEO Musk Facing Defamation Trial for 'Pedo Guy' Tweet
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 6 years ago on
December 3, 2019

Share

LOS ANGELES — Elon Musk is going on trial Tuesday for his troublesome tweets in a defamation case pitting the billionaire against a British diver he allegedly branded a pedophile.

“‘Pedo guy’ was a common insult used in South Africa when I was growing up. It is synonymous with ‘creepy old man’ and is used to insult a person’s appearance and demeanor.”Elon Musk
The Tesla CEO will be called to testify early in the case in Los Angeles federal court to explain what he meant when he called Vernon Unsworth, who helped rescue youth soccer players trapped underwater in a Thailand cave, “pedo guy” in a Twitter spat more than year ago.
Musk later apologized for lashing out at Unsworth on Twitter after the diver belittled Musk’s efforts to build a tiny submarine to save the trapped boys as a “PR stunt.” The tweet, widely interpreted as a reference to a pedophile, was removed by Musk, who disputed that’s what he meant.
“‘Pedo guy’ was a common insult used in South Africa when I was growing up,” Musk said in a court declaration. “It is synonymous with ‘creepy old man’ and is used to insult a person’s appearance and demeanor.”
Unsworth’s lawyers have laughed off that explanation and said his claim was undercut by a subsequent tweet when he said, “Bet ya a signed dollar it’s true” in response to a question about whether he had accused Unsworth of being a pedophile.
Photo of Vernon Unsworth
FILE – In this Sept. 6, 2018, file photo, British cave expert Vernon Unsworth talks with guests at an event titled the “United as One” in Bangkok, Thailand. Tesla CEO Elon Musk is going on trial for his troublesome tweets in a case pitting the billionaire against Unsworth, a British diver he allegedly dubbed a pedophile. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit, File)

Not the First Time Musk’s Tweets Have Landed Him in Hot Water

The lawyers also said he hired private investigators to dig up evidence Unsworth was a child molester, which they never found, according to Unsworth’s lawyers.
The lawsuit is not the first time Musk’s tweets have landed him in hot water.
Musk and Tesla reached a $40 million settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission last year on allegations he misled investors with a tweet declaring he had secured financing to buy out the electric car maker. He agreed in the settlement to have future tweets about the company screened.
He was forced back into court on accusations he violated that agreement by tweeting a misleading figure about how many cars Tesla would manufacture this year. The SEC sought to hold him in contempt of court, which led to a new agreement imposing tighter controls on Musk’s tweets about the company.
The cave drama played out for more than two weeks in the summer of 2018 when the 12 boys — ages 11-16 — and their soccer coach were trapped in a flooded cave in northern Thailand.

Musk Claims He Wasn’t Making a Factual Statement

Musk and engineers from his SpaceX rocket company custom built a mini-submarine to help with the rescue. The device was heavily publicized but never used.

Despite removing the tweets, he later suggested in emails to the news website BuzzFeed that Unsworth was a “child rapist” and had moved to northern Thailand to take “a child bride who was about 12 years old at the time.” He provided no evidence.
Unsworth, a diver and caving expert whose advice was considered crucial in the rescue operation, said the sub would never have fit in the cave’s tight spaces. He told CNN that Musk could “stick his submarine where it hurts.”
Musk responded two days later with his series of tweets.
Musk claims he wasn’t making a factual statement and no one reading his tweet would take it seriously and interpret it as defamatory.
Despite removing the tweets, he later suggested in emails to the news website BuzzFeed that Unsworth was a “child rapist” and had moved to northern Thailand to take “a child bride who was about 12 years old at the time.” He provided no evidence.
Unsworth is seeking unspecified damages for pain, suffering and emotional distress. The defense has resisted efforts to turn over financial records to show Musk’s wealth but has stipulated his net worth exceeds $20 billion.

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Alleged ‘Fake’ ICE Agents Charged. Fresno Court Date Set

DON'T MISS

In Win for Trump, US Supreme Court Limits Judges’ Power to Block Birthright Citizenship Order

DON'T MISS

California’s Newsom Sues Fox News for $787 Million for Defamation Over Trump Call

DON'T MISS

Motorcycle Collides With Tractor in Fatal Fresno County Collision

DON'T MISS

Ringo Is Ready to Rock Your World With ‘Pawsitive’ Vibes!

DON'T MISS

Calwa Park Sitting on $7.4M in Grants. Where is New Pool, Other Upgrades?

DON'T MISS

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Teisha Zonnette Thomas

DON'T MISS

Fourth of July Celebrations Begin Saturday. Here’s Your Fresno Area Guide

DON'T MISS

Hawaiian Airlines Hit by Cyber Attack

DON'T MISS

US House Committee Subpoenas Harvard Over Tuition Costs

UP NEXT

Bill Moyers, Broadcaster and LBJ’s White House Press Secretary, Dies at 91

UP NEXT

US Justice Department to Probe Hiring Practices at University of California

UP NEXT

Newsom and Legislature Tangle With Construction Unions Over Minimum Wage

UP NEXT

Tesla Executive, Elon Musk Confidant Leaves EV Maker, Bloomberg News Reports

UP NEXT

4 Million Acres of California Forests Could Lose Protection. What Trump’s ‘Roadless Rule’ Repeal Could Do

UP NEXT

Trump Administration Orders CA to Strip Trans Athlete of Medals

UP NEXT

SoCal Vice Mayor Urges Street Gang ‘Cholos’ to Rise Up Against ICE

UP NEXT

How a Birthday Boat Ride on Lake Tahoe Turned Tragic

UP NEXT

Cuomo Concedes to Mamdani in New York City Democratic Mayoral Contest

UP NEXT

Mamdani Holds Lead Over Cuomo in Democratic Primary for NYC Mayor

Motorcycle Collides With Tractor in Fatal Fresno County Collision

34 minutes ago

Ringo Is Ready to Rock Your World With ‘Pawsitive’ Vibes!

39 minutes ago

Calwa Park Sitting on $7.4M in Grants. Where is New Pool, Other Upgrades?

2 hours ago

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Teisha Zonnette Thomas

2 hours ago

Fourth of July Celebrations Begin Saturday. Here’s Your Fresno Area Guide

3 hours ago

Hawaiian Airlines Hit by Cyber Attack

17 hours ago

US House Committee Subpoenas Harvard Over Tuition Costs

18 hours ago

Convicted Felon Caught With Guns, Ammunition in Fresno Bust

18 hours ago

Fresno Advocates Want Respect for Immigrants, Defend Miguel Arias

18 hours ago

Crypto Industry Moves Into US Housing Market

19 hours ago

Alleged ‘Fake’ ICE Agents Charged. Fresno Court Date Set

Two men arrested in February for allegedly impersonating ICE agents will appear in court Monday. Fresno police arrested Abad Amilca Sandoval...

23 minutes ago

23 minutes ago

Alleged ‘Fake’ ICE Agents Charged. Fresno Court Date Set

Olga Urbina carries baby Ares Webster as demonstrators rally on the day the Supreme Court justices hear oral arguments over U.S. President Donald Trump's bid to broadly enforce his executive order to restrict automatic birthright citizenship, during a protest outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 15, 2025. (Reuters File)
26 minutes ago

In Win for Trump, US Supreme Court Limits Judges’ Power to Block Birthright Citizenship Order

California Governor Gavin Newsom speaks to the press after a hearing on the use of National Guard troops amid federal immigration sweeps, at the California State Supreme Court in San Francisco, California, U.S., June 12, 2025. (Reuters FIle)
29 minutes ago

California’s Newsom Sues Fox News for $787 Million for Defamation Over Trump Call

fresno
34 minutes ago

Motorcycle Collides With Tractor in Fatal Fresno County Collision

Ringo Is GV Wire's Adoptable Pet of the Week, June 27, 2025
39 minutes ago

Ringo Is Ready to Rock Your World With ‘Pawsitive’ Vibes!

Calwa_Empty_Pool_1280x720
2 hours ago

Calwa Park Sitting on $7.4M in Grants. Where is New Pool, Other Upgrades?

Teisha Zonnette Thomas is Valley Crime Stoppers' Most Wanted Person of the Day for June 27, 2025. (Valley Crimes Stoppers)
2 hours ago

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Teisha Zonnette Thomas

3 hours ago

Fourth of July Celebrations Begin Saturday. Here’s Your Fresno Area Guide

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend