Billionaire Elon Musk may be charged with violating Wisconsin’s election bribery law, according to the state’s Elections Commission.
The commission approved a motion finding “probable cause” that Musk violated a state law prohibiting the offering of “anything of value” to influence a person to vote. The complaint focuses on Musk’s cash giveaway program for voters who signed petitions organized by his political group, a practice that began during President Donald Trump‘s 2024 campaign and continued through Wisconsin’s April 2025 judicial election.
Whether David Lasee, the top prosecutor in Brown County, which covers Green Bay, will pursue charges against Musk remains uncertain.
Inside Musk’s Voter Payment Row
This controversy dates back to the time when Musk began distributing $1 million checks to Wisconsin voters after the state Supreme Court refused a legal challenge. The payments were handed out just minutes before the start of a rally.
Despite announcing a pullback from political spending in 2025, Musk reemerged as a significant Republican donor ahead of the November midterms, contributing $5 million to Trump’s super PAC, MAGA Inc.
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