Tesla probing ‘extensive’ sabotage by disgruntled employee, says Musk

Bloomberg

A disgruntled Tesla Inc. employee broke into the company’s manufacturing operating system and sent highly sensitive data to unknown third parties, according to an email Elon Musk sent to staff.
The worker, who had been denied a promotion, did “quite extensive and damaging sabotage” to Tesla’s operations, Musk wrote in the memo, which was reported in full by CNBC. While a spokesman declined to comment, an employee who asked not to be identified confirmed he received the email.
Tesla is conducting an in-depth investigation into the matter, including whether the worker was acting alone, with others at the company, or with any outside organisations, Musk wrote. The electric-car maker’s shares fell as much as 2.3 percent in early trading on Tuesday.
“As you know, there are a long list of organisations that want Tesla to die,” Musk said.
He referenced Wall Street short sellers “who have already lost billions of dollars,” oil and gas companies that “don’t love” to see solar power and electric cars advancing, and automakers that produce gasoline and diesel vehicles. “If they’re willing to cheat so much about emissions, maybe they’re willing to cheat in other ways?” he said.
Tesla is no stranger to concerns of sabotage. The company sued a former oil-services executive in 2016 for impersonating Musk in an email to former Tesla CFO Jason Wheeler. In the lawsuit, Tesla said the email was part of an oil-industry effort to undermine the company’s push for
energy-efficient transportation.