A former FBI agent has claimed that Russian intelligence targeted billionaire and Donald Trump’s close aide Elon Musk for blackmail, using his interests in sex and drugs to possibly influence him. The former Counterintelligence agent, Jonathan Buma, made the claim during a documentary aired by German broadcaster ZDF.
Buma said that Musk and PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel were under scrutiny by Russian spies after the war in Ukraine began. He added that secret information was collected to potentially use against them, if needed.
“Musk’s susceptibility to promiscuous women and drug use, particularly ketamine were seen by Russian intelligence as an opportunity for an agent to exploit,” Buma stated in the documentary. He also noted that Musk’s love for events like Burning Man, adult entertainment, and gambling made him even more vulnerable to such spy attempts.
Buma spent 16 years in the FBI before he was arrested in March for leaking confidential information to a publishing house. He was indicted on one count of “Disclosure of Confidential Information” and freed on $100,000 bail.
DID PUTIN KNOW ABOUT THE OPERATION?
According to Buma, Russian President Vladimir Putin was aware of the plans. “The agents would not have gotten involved in the blackmail plot had the Russian president not known about the action and approved it,” he said. However, Buma did not share the source of his information.
“Musk’s susceptibility to promiscuous women and drug use, particularly ketamine were seen by Russian intelligence as an opportunity for an agent to exploit,” said ex-FBI agent Jonathan Buma.
The Wall Street Journal had earlier reported that Musk and Putin have been in contact since 2022, the year Russia invaded Ukraine. This link raised questions regarding the control Russia would seek to have over influential American businessman.
MUSK’S TIES WITH UKRAINE
Musk’s stature dipped in the US, and his businesses, including Tesla, have struggled financially. He announced he would take a step back from his position as chair of DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) to concentrate more on Tesla.
Last week, Musk accompanied US President Donald Trump on a Middle Eastern tour. The duo arrived in a motorcade headed by a Cybertruck and attended a dinner with the Emir of Qatar and other high-level leaders.
Musk’s past with Ukraine is also complex. Although he initially offered free access to his Starlink internet service to assist Ukrainian troops, he eventually threatened to cut off that access. Musk and Trump both publicly criticised Ukraine’s leadership in 2024.
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