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Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk has settled a defamation case with Randeep Hothi, an outspoken critic and vocal Tesla short seller. Hothi had accused Musk of making false and defamatory statements about him on social media. Amongst ongoing Twitter drama, the settlement finally brings an end to a legal battle that began in 2019.
Details of the Legal Dispute
Hothi lived close to Tesla’s factory in Fremont, where he used cameras and drones to monitor the place and activities. He gathered a decent following on Twitter under the handle, ‘Skabooshka’ where he would critique the Model 3. This caught the eye of several hedge funds, threatening Tesla’s reputation and profits.
In 2019, Hothi allegedly drove his car dangerously on a freeway test drive to record Model 3’s speed. Also injuring a Tesla security guard in a hit-and-run on company property. Elon Musk had also put a restraining order on him due to these alleged instances. As a response, Hothi denied all of these allegations. Tesla reportedly dropped the allegations after an undisclosed settlement.
The real legal battle began after another vocal critic of the company, Aaron Greenspan released an email from Elon Musk, in which he claimed that Hothi had “almost killed Tesla employees”.
Hothi again denied these accusations and filed a defamation suit against Musk seeking damages. Musk countered with a motion to dismiss the case, but a judge ruled that the case could proceed.
Elon Musk vs Randeep Hothi : Individual Statements and The Settlement
In a joint statement released on Monday, Musk and Hothi announced that they had reached a settlement in the case. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed. But according to a recent tweet, Hothi accepted Musk’s offer to settle his defamation suit with a $10,000 payment.
The case has been a contentious one, with both sides presenting evidence and arguments over the past two years. However, on Monday, Musk’s legal team announced that they had reached a settlement with Hothi.
The terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but both parties released a joint statement saying that they had “resolved the matter.”
Hothi also tweeted, “In March 2023, Musk asked me to settle. I believe my work is now vindicated. For several reasons, I have decided to accommodate Musk (for a modest $10k). I now join the rest of you who are watching his public meltdown in real time.”
The meltdown refers to the ongoing drama over Twitter and Elon Musk’s decisions.
Musk, who is outspoken on social media, has faced several legal challenges in recent years, including lawsuits over his tweets and comments about various individuals and companies. The settlement with Hothi is the latest in a series of legal disputes involving the Tesla CEO.
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