Elon Musk watches as President Donald Trump speaks at the U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, Nov. 19, 2025.
Brendan Smialowski AFP | Getty Images
French cybercrime authorities have expanded their investigation into Elon Musk and his social network X into a criminal investigation, the Paris public prosecutor’s office announced Thursday.
Prosecutors said Musk and former CEO Linda Yaccarino were issued subpoenas by French authorities on April 20, but both refused to appear in court or answer questions.
In February, after French authorities raided X Company’s Paris office, Musk called the raid a “political attack.”
The investigation, requested by French MP Eric Bottrel in early 2025, focuses on accusations of algorithmic manipulation by X to influence and interfere in French politics, as well as allegations that Musk and X knowingly allowed users of the AI chatbot Grok to create and spread Holocaust denial and non-consensual sexually explicit deepfake images on X.
Grok is being developed by Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI. xAI acquired Musk’s previous company, X, and merged it with his reusable rocket company, SpaceX, earlier this year. A version of Grok is also included in electric cars manufactured by. teslaMusk’s car maker.
Other international jurisdictions are investigating X and Grok, as well as the California Attorney General’s Office.
The investigation typically focuses on whether Musk and his company knowingly allowed the creation and dissemination of explicit deepfake images containing child sexual abuse material based on photos and videos of non-consenting individuals.
The U.S. Department of Justice reportedly told French authorities in April that it would not cooperate with investigations into Musk or Mr. X, accusing France of inappropriately interfering with U.S. business.
Representatives for Musk and SpaceX did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Ministry of Justice and the Paris public prosecutor’s office could not be reached for comment.
WATCH: California AG launches investigation into Grok
