DOJ, SEC Investigating Elon Musk Over 'Perks' Paid at Tesla Going Back Years

Federal prosecutors are scrutinizing personal benefits Tesla may have provided Elon Musk since 2017—longer than previously known—as part of a criminal investigation examining issues including a proposed house for the chief executive.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York also has sought information about transactions between Tesla and other entities connected to the billionaire, people familiar with the investigation said. Prosecutors have referenced the involvement of a grand jury.

The new information indicates that federal prosecutors have a broader interest in the actions of Musk and Tesla than was previously known and that they are pursuing potential criminal charges. The Wall Street Journal reported last month that the Justice Department is investigating Tesla's use of company resources on a secret project that was described internally as a house for Musk.

The house effort was known within the carmaker as "Project 42," and plans called for an expansive glass building to be constructed near Tesla's Austin-area factory and headquarters.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has opened a separate civil investigation into the project, the Journal has reported.