Man accused of posing as Elon Musk and defrauding elderly woman of $250,000

A Florida man has been arrested for impersonating tech billionaire Elon Musk in an attempt to scam an elderly woman out of $250,000. Jeffrey Arthur Moynihan Jr., 56, was taken into custody at his home in Bradenton on Tuesday, November 19, and charged with grand theft.

Moynihan allegedly posed as the Tesla and SpaceX CEO to befriend a 74-year-old woman from Texas on Facebook, starting in 2023. He reportedly promised her a $55 million return on investment. Her husband told investigators that she was ultimately defrauded of around $600,000 in total. The investigation began after authorities in Frisco, Texas, alerted Bradenton police to the case. Detective Jim Curulla traced nearly half of the stolen money to bank accounts in Bradenton, which were linked to Moynihan and his business, Jeff’s Painting and Pressure Washing LLC.

The scam involved convincing the victim that she was investing in Musk's businesses. Moynihan—or potentially other scammers—maintained the ruse by sharing updates about "Elon's" day, incorporating recent news to make the impersonation more convincing. "The victim truly believed Elon Musk was her friend," a police spokesperson said. "After building trust, the scammer persuaded her to make several investments over time."

Moynihan claimed the $250,000 was intended for an online girlfriend, suggesting he may have been a victim of another scam. Authorities are continuing the investigation to trace the remaining funds, while the real Elon Musk remains uninvolved and focused on SpaceX operations, according to a Bradenton police statement.