Elon Musk posts photo to ‘disprove’ affair with Sergey Brin’s wife

Elon Musk has posted a photo of himself partying with Sergey Brin as he strongly denies allegations he had an affair with Nicole Shanahan.

Elon Musk has posted a photo of himself partying with Google co-founder Sergey Brin as he strongly denies allegations he had an affair with Brin’s wife.

The Wall Street Journal yesterday published an exclusive report that claimed Mr Musk had an affair with Nicole Shanahan, ruining his friendship with Mr Brin.

Mr Musk, 51, insisted the claims of a fling were “total BS” — even quipping, “Haven’t even had sex in ages (sigh).”

The world’s richest man posted a photo showing him partying with Mr Brin, 48, who was supposed to have cooled their bromance after the alleged betrayal.

A photo of Elon Musk and Sergey Brin posted on Elon Musk's Twitter account. Picture: Elon Musk/Twitter

“Took this pic only two hours ago,” Mr Musk told the New York Post of the photo of him laughing while rubbing shoulders with his fellow billionaire.

The Tesla mogul strongly denied the widely-spread Wall Street Journal report that claimed a December fling was behind Mr Brin’s divorce.

“Nicole and Sergey’s divorce has absolutely nothing to do with me,” Mr Musk insisted by email.

“I am sure both Nicole and Sergey would confirm that. I spoke with both Sergey and Nicole about this and they say the story isn’t coming from them, so [it] must be a case of broken telephone, two or three layers removed,” he said.

“And, not to dodge the question, I have only seen Nicole twice in three years, both times with many other people around.

“We were not romantically involved in any way,” he insisted.

Elon Musk has denied having an affair with Nicole Shanahan, the wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin. Picture: Getty Images

The Tesla boss shared a similar message on Twitter while replying to a message claiming he “banged” Ms Shanahan and was “apparently no longer friends” with Mr Brin, who had propped up Tesla during the 2008 financial crisis.

“This is total BS,” he tweeted.

“Haven’t even had sex in ages (sigh),” Mr Musk insisted when the Twitter profile he responded to advised him to “keep your d**k in your pants” because “they’re out for your head.”

When another follower asked if that including not having sex during his recent chest-baring vacation, he insisted, “Nope.”

Sergey Brin and Nicole Shanahan. Picture: Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for Academy Museum of Motion Pictures

Mr Musk dismissed the report as just the latest example of “character assassination attacks [that] have reached a new level this year.”

“I work crazy hours, so there just isn’t much time for shenanigans. None of the key people involved in these alleged wrongdoings were even interviewed!” he wrote. He suggested followers call out the Wall Street Journal, which “is supposed to have a high standard for journalism.”

“WSJ should be running stories that actually matter to their readers and have solid factual basis, not third-party random hearsay,” he wrote.

According to the report, Mr Musk apologised for the alleged affair to Mr Brin, getting down on one knee and begging for forgiveness.

It was alleged the affair took place at an art festival in Miami Beach last year.

The report alleged that Mr Brin filed for divorce after learning his wife cheated on him with Mr Musk.

The two tech titans have been longtime friends. Mr Musk regularly crashed at Mr Brin’s Silicon Valley home — until the Tesla titan’s alleged fling with Ms Shanahan last year, the Wall Street Journal stated.

Mr Brin and Ms Shanahan still living together at the time of the alleged affair in December, but were separated, a person close to her told the Journal.

Mr Brin, whose net worth is $129 billion, filed for divorce in January, citing “irreconcilable differences”.

The move came several weeks after he found out Mr Musk and Ms Shanahan had hooked up, people familiar with the matter told the Journal.

Sergey Brin and Nicole Shanahan attend the 2019 Breakthrough Prize at NASA Ames Research Centre on November 4, 2018. Picture: Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images for Breakthrough Prize

It was reported that Mr Brin also ordered his financial advisers to liquidate his investments in Mr Musk’s various companies amid growing tension between the billionaire.

Mr Brin acknowledged Mr Musk’s professed remorse but still isn’t speaking to him regularly, the sources added.

The fling reportedly took place in December at the annual Art Basel event, a multi-day fair featuring exhibitions by international galleries and panel discussions attended by deep-pocketed collectors — after Mr Musk broke up with Canadian pop singer Grimes in September.

Elon Musk and Grimes arrive for the 2018 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Picture: AFP

Mr Shanahan’s marriage to Mr Brin was also strained at the time over problems related to Covid-19 pandemic shutdowns and the care of their daughter, people familiar with the relationship told the Journal.

Ms Shanahan is reportedly seeking more than $U1.4 billion from Mr Brin and the pair is involved in divorce mediation proceedings.

They’ve been unable to strike a deal, with Mr Brin’s side saying Ms Shanahan wants much more than a prenuptial agreement calls for and Ms Shananan’s side saying she signed the pact under duress while pregnant, it was reported.

– with the New York Post