SEC investigating if Elon Musk tried to hurt Tesla short-sellers: Report

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has drawn controversy for his statements about taking the company private.Scott Olson / Getty Images

The Securities and Exchange Commission is reportedly investigating whether Tesla CEO Elon Musk was attempting to hurt the company’s short-sellers when he tweeted about taking the company private, The Wall Street Journal reports.

The agency is asking Tesla’s board of directors what Musk told them before he tweeted that he had secured the funding to convert Tesla into a private company, were the proposal to pass a shareholder vote.

Tesla did not immediately respond to Business Insider’s requests for comment. The SEC declined to comment. 

Read The Wall Street Journals full story here.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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