Is Vladimir Putin blackmailing Elon Musk over Ukraine? Ex-FBI agent alleges Russian plot to target world's richest man

A former FBI counterintelligence officer has claimed that Russian spies attempted to blackmail Elon Musk, using his personal lifestyle choices as leverage. Jonathan Buma, who served 16 years in the FBI, made the accusation in a recent documentary aired by German broadcaster ZDF.

According to Buma, Russian intelligence identified Musk’s known interests in sex, drugs—specifically ketamine—and a lavish party scene as potential vulnerabilities. He said this made the billionaire tech mogul, now a close adviser to Donald Trump, an attractive target for coercion.

“Musk’s susceptibility to promiscuous women and drug use, particularly ketamine were seen by Russian intelligence as an opportunity for an agent to exploit,” Buma said in the documentary.


He alleged that the aim was to gather compromising information that could be used to influence or control Musk, a figure whose technological influence spans defence, space, and communications.

Operation approved by Putin, Buma claims

Buma also stated that the espionage effort had backing from the very top of Russia’s leadership.

“The agents would not have gotten involved in the blackmail plot had the Russian president not known about the action and approved it,” Buma said, referring to Vladimir Putin.

However, Buma did not disclose the source of this information. His remarks are likely to intensify scrutiny over Musk’s international ties, particularly amid ongoing tensions between the West and Russia following the Ukraine war.

These revelations follow earlier reports by The Wall Street Journal suggesting that Musk and Putin had been in contact since 2022, the same year Russia invaded Ukraine.

Surveillance also extended to Peter Thiel

The documentary revealed that PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel was also a target of Russian surveillance. Buma claimed that both Musk and Thiel were placed under watch by Russian intelligence shortly after the Ukraine conflict began, as part of a broader effort to influence key American figures.

Their prominence in technology and proximity to political power made them high-value targets. In Musk’s case, his attendance at events like Burning Man, alongside his interest in adult entertainment and gambling, allegedly contributed to Russian interest.

Musk’s shifting role in Ukraine conflict

Elon Musk’s relationship with Ukraine has taken several turns. He initially earned praise for providing free Starlink internet access to Ukrainian forces. But later, he threatened to withdraw the service, leading to criticism.

In 2024, Musk joined Donald Trump in publicly criticising Ukraine’s leadership, further complicating his stance. These developments sparked speculation about his alignment, especially as his tech platforms and businesses gained influence over global communication infrastructure.

Musk currently heads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a cost-cutting initiative in federal agencies, and accompanied Trump on a diplomatic tour to the Middle East last week. The two arrived in a Cybertruck-led motorcade and attended a formal dinner hosted by the Emir of Qatar and other Gulf leaders.

While the allegations are explosive, Buma himself is facing serious legal challenges. He was arrested in March for leaking classified information to a publishing house and has been indicted on one count of "Disclosure of Confidential Information." He is currently out on a $100,000 bail.

Despite the charges, Buma has doubled down on his assertions, claiming that Russia’s interest in figures like Musk goes beyond diplomacy or business—it is strategic.

As these claims circulate, they highlight growing fears about how global powers could be using covert tactics to sway high-profile individuals in American political and technological spheres. Whether they hold up under legal or investigative scrutiny remains to be seen.