Tesla Reveals It Received a Subpoena After Elon Musk Tweet The subpoena requested information on Tesla's compliance with an earlier settlement reached between Musk and the SEC.

By Chloe Arrojado Edited by Jessica Thomas

Maja Hitij | Getty Images

A financial filing on Monday revealed that Tesla received a subpoena from the SEC last November. The SEC subpoena is related to a 2018 settlement that required CEO Elon Musk's tweets about the electric vehicle company to be vetted.

"The SEC had issued subpoenas to Tesla in connection with Musk's prior statement that he was considering taking Tesla private," the Tesla filing noted. "More recently, on November 16, 2021, the SEC issued a subpoena to us seeking information on our governance processes around compliance with the SEC settlement, as amended."

The Tesla subpoena was issued 10 days after Musk launched a Twitter poll asking his Twitter followers if he should sell 10% of his stake in the company.

The subpoena requested information on Tesla's compliance with a 2018 settlement between Musk and the SEC. The settlement occurred after Musk posted a tweet in August 2018 that he had the "funding secured" to take the company private. The investigation was resolved in September 2018, with Musk agreeing to have Tesla's lawyers pre-approve tweets with material information about the company. They further clarified the terms in an April 2019 amendment.

Related: Ex-Tesla Employees Reveal the Worst Parts About Working for the Company

Musk has been public with his disdain for the SEC over the years. In a 60 Minutes interview in 2018, Musk said, "I want to be clear. I do not respect the SEC. I do not respect them." More recently, he posted a tweet about his discontent with the government agency.

Tesla stock is down 0.061% over a 24-hour period as of Tuesday morning.

Related: Tesla is Raising $2 Billion in Funding Two Days After Elon Musk Said It Didn't Need To
Chloe Arrojado

BIZ Experiences Staff

Editorial Assistant

Want to be an BIZ Experiences Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Most Popular

See all
Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for BIZ Experiencess to pursue in 2025.

By Eve Gumpel
Science & Technology

OpenAI's Latest Move Is a Game Changer — Here's How Smart Solopreneurs Are Turning It Into Profit

OpenAI's latest AI tool acts like a full-time assistant, helping solopreneurs save time, find leads and grow their business without hiring.

By Ben Angel
Social Media

How To Start a Youtube Channel: Step-by-Step Guide

YouTube can be a valuable way to grow your audience. If you're ready to create content, read more about starting a business YouTube Channel.

By Jason R. Rich
Business Solutions

Boost Team Productivity and Security With Windows 11 Pro, Now $15 for Life

Ideal for BIZ Experiencess and small-business owners who are looking to streamline their PC setup.

By BIZ Experiences Store
Science & Technology

AI Isn't Plug-and-Play — You Need a Strategy. Here's Your Guide to Building One.

Don't just "add AI" — build a strategy. This guide helps founders avoid common pitfalls and create a step-by-step roadmap to harness real value from AI.

By Nicholas Leighton
Starting a Business

I Built a $20 Million Company by Age 22 While Still in College. Here's How I Did It and What I Learned Along the Way.

Wealth-building in your early twenties isn't about playing it safe; it's about exploiting the one time in life when having nothing to lose gives you everything to gain.

By Emil Barr