Elon Musk and his political action committee have agreed to settle two lawsuits that accused them of misleading voters with promises of $1 million checks before the 2024 presidential election and in a 2025 Wisconsin Supreme Court election.
Legal counsel for the parties notified a federal judge in Texas that they’d struck an agreement to end the dual class-action suits Thursday. Terms of the settlements are not public and still require court approval.
The plaintiffs in the two cases — Arizona residents Jacqueline McAferty and Joy Harvick — accused Musk and America PAC of coaxing voters in seven swing states into signing his 2024 petition to support free speech and gun rights and submitting personal information for what they were told was a chance to receive $1 million. The giveaway was part of Musk’s broader effort to return Donald Trump to the White House.
The cases’ central claim, according to court filings, is that America PAC representatives vetted potential recipients of the prize rather than simply drawing names from a hat.
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Following that blueprint, the tech mogul took the tactic to the March 2025 Wisconsin Supreme Court election to urge voters to turn out for Brad Schimel, the state’s former Republican attorney general.
“I will also personally hand over two checks for a million dollars each in appreciation for you taking the time to vote,” Musk said in a now-deleted post on X.
Musk has already escaped a potential legal battle concerning his promises in Wisconsin: La Crosse County District Attorney Tim Gruenke declined to charge the tech mogul with election bribery in August, despite the state elections commission’s earlier ruling that he had likely broken the law. Gruenke, a Democrat, said no jury would have found Musk’s actions constituted election bribery.
America PAC, which is primarily funded by Musk himself, spent millions to support Schimel, who later lost to Susan Crawford.
The Tesla founder has denied the allegations of engaging in election bribery.
The Arizona settlements come weeks before November’s consequential elections. Musk, the wealthiest person in the world, has personally contributed over $275 million — more than any other person — to support the Republican Party’s efforts to retain its congressional majorities.
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