Elon Musk denies affair with Nicole Shanahan, the wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin

( Business) — Elon Musk has denied having an affair with Nicole Shanahan, the wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin.

Over the weekend, The Wall Street Journal reported that Musk, a longtime friend of Brin’s, had a brief relationship with Shanahan in December 2021 while she and Brin were separated but still living together. The publication cited anonymous people close to the matter.

“I work crazy hours so there’s not a lot of time for shenanigans,” the Tesla boss said in a tweet on Monday.

“None of the key people involved in these alleged misdeeds were even interviewed!” he added.

In an earlier tweet, Musk, the world’s richest man, described the report as “total BS” and said he and Brin were still friends and had attended a party together the night before.

“I’ve only seen Nicole twice in three years, both times with a lot of other people around. Nothing romantic,” he added.

Brin filed for divorce from Shanahan in January due to irreconcilable differences, according to court documents filed in California seen by The Journal. She did so several weeks after discovering the affair, the publication said.

The two billionaires have been friends for many years, Brin providing about $500,000 of financing for Tesla in 2008, when the company was struggling financially, the newspaper said.

Musk reportedly knelt in front of Brin at a party earlier this year to apologize for the affair, he added.

Musk, Brin and Shanahan did not immediately respond to Business when reached for comment. Shanahan’s divorce attorney also did not respond when contacted.

Brin stepped down as chairman of Alphabet, Google’s parent company, in 2019. He founded the search engine in 1998 with Larry Page. Both Brin and Page continue to serve on the Alphabet board.

Musk’s problems in the spotlight

Musk’s relationships, family matters and legal troubles have become a growing part of the public conversation lately.

The Tesla and SpaceX boss is currently embroiled in a bitter legal fight with Twitter over their $44 billion takeover deal. Musk had tried to buy the company but backed off earlier this month, accusing the social media company of failing to provide vital information related to the number of bots on its platform, a claim Twitter denies.

In May, Musk denied allegations that he sexually harassed a SpaceX flight attendant in 2016.

In June, one of Musk’s children petitioned a California court to recognize her new name and gender, saying she no longer wishes to be related to her famous and wealthy father “in any way, shape or form.”

And last month, Business Insider reported that Musk welcomed twins last year with an executive at one of his companies, Neuralink.

Musk said in a tweet Monday that “smear attacks have reached a new level this year.”

— Clare Duffy contributed reporting.