BRADENTON, Fla. — A 56-year-old Florida man was arrested earlier this month for allegedly impersonating tech billionaire Elon Musk in a scheme to defraud a 74-year-old woman of hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to authorities.
Jeffrey Arthur Moynihan Jr. was taken into custody on Nov. 19 after police uncovered evidence that he had posed as Musk online, convincing the woman to invest in a phony financial opportunity. Body camera footage from the arrest shows Moynihan expressing surprise as officers handcuffed him on his porch. “Grand theft of what?” he asked.
Investigators allege Moynihan used a fake Musk persona on Facebook to befriend the woman, later communicating with her via email. In these messages, Moynihan reportedly convinced her to wire money to his Bradenton-based business, Jeff’s Painting and Pressure Washing, LLC, which he falsely presented as Musk’s money manager.
According to police records, the victim believed she was investing in a deal with the real Musk that promised a $55 million return. Financial documents show the woman transferred $250,000 to Moynihan’s accounts, though her husband told investigators the total amount she sent could be as much as $600,000. He added that he believed his wife might be suffering from dementia, as she remained convinced that her money had gone to the actual Musk.
The investigation also revealed that Moynihan had email accounts using the names of Musk, singer Lionel Richie, and actor Johnny Depp, further supporting the fraud allegations.
Man’s Elon Musk ruse drained elderly woman’s life savings, police say.
