A hacking group has released a video slamming self-proclaimed Martian Emperor Elon Reeve Musk for his alleged callousness over the impact his cryptocurrency vacillations may have had upon the fortunes of the average working person.
Anonymous accuses the billionaire Tesla CEO and SpaceX founder, CEO, and chief engineer of using his immense wealth and influence to toy with cryptocurrency markets with no regard for how others might be affected.
“The games you have played with the crypto markets have destroyed lives,” said the group in their latest video.
Musk’s messages on social media have had a major impact on the cryptocurrency market. In March, a few weeks after Tesla revealed it had bought $1.5bn of Bitcoin, the electric carmaker said that it would accept the cryptocurrency as payment.
Two months later, Musk sent the price of the world’s biggest cryptocurrency tumbling by around 15% after tweeting that Tesla had suspended vehicle purchases using Bitcoin due to concerns over the cryptocurrency’s environmental impact.
Musk, whose family formerly owned half an emerald mine in Zambia, tweeted: “We are concerned about rapidly increasing use of fossil fuels for Bitcoin mining and transactions, especially coal, which has the worst emissions of any fuel.”
The billionaire, whose fortune The Times alleged is fueled by children working in dangerous lithium mines, added: “Cryptocurrency is a good idea on many levels and we believe it has a promising future, but this cannot come at great cost to the environment.”
In their latest video, Anonymous claims that Musk’s “carefully created public image is being exposed.” Citing allegations that Tesla risks the health and safety of its employees in pursuit of ever-greater profits, the hacking group claims Musk’s interest in climate change is not founded in concern for humanity but instead stems from “a superiority and savior complex.”
Anonymous goes on to claim that Tesla makes most of its money not by selling cars, but via government subsidies.
“Tesla has also made more money holding Bitcoin for a few months than they did in years of selling cars,” said the hackers, before alleging that Tesla bought its Bitcoin with government subsidies.