Elon Musk Accused Of Failing To Pay Millions To Canvassers In Class-Action Lawsuit

Billionaire Elon Musk and his super PAC are facing a class-action lawsuit claiming they owe millions to canvassers who helped sign petitions during the 2024 election.

The federal lawsuit filed Tuesday by a Pennsylvania man, who is not identified for safety and security reasons, estimates that Musk and America PAC owe more than $5,000,000 to more than 100 people for their work.

The man claims he and other registered voters were promised $100 for signing a petition supporting free speech and gun rights. They’d get another $100 for every additional voter’s signature they helped secure on the petition.

“While Plaintiff was paid his hourly rate for canvassing, and he was paid some referrals for the petition signatures he obtained (albeit well after he performed the work to obtain these referrals), Plaintiff estimates that he has not been paid at least $20,000 he is owed for his referrals,” states the lawsuit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Repeated attempts to contact Musk and America PAC for the money have not been successful, the suit adds.

A spokesperson for America PAC denied wrongdoing to CNN.

“America PAC is committed to paying for every legitimate petition signature, which is evidenced by the fact that we have paid tens of millions of dollars to canvassers for their hard work in support of our mission,” said spokesman Andrew Romeo in a statement.

Attempts to reach Romeo for comment were not immediately successful.

A website for America PAC’s petition program states that the “overwhelming majority of checks owed to eligible referrers and petition signers” have been mailed out, but that some payments may be delayed due to the organization’s work vetting eligible referrers and petition signers.

“These efforts are important to ensure that any potential fraud or abuse is eliminated,” it states. It advises anyone missing payment to submit a help desk inquiry.

The lawsuit follows Musk and America PAC sensationally handing out $1 million checks on Sunday to people attending a town hall event in Wisconsin that was supporting a conservative judicial candidate. The giveaway was challenged in the state Supreme Court but ultimately allowed to go on.