• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Elon Musk

Elon Musk Attended Infamously Lewd Silicon Valley Party—Thought It Was a Costume Party

By
Kirsten Korosec
Kirsten Korosec
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Kirsten Korosec
Kirsten Korosec
Down Arrow Button Icon
January 11, 2018, 6:16 PM ET

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk attended the infamously lewd party at high-profile investor Steve Jurvetson’s home, but didn’t see or participate in any sexual activities, a spokesperson for the billionaire entrepreneur has confirmed to Fortune.

Musk understood it to be a venture capital-hosted costume party.

Musk’s attendance was originally reported by Business Insider.

In an email, Musk’s spokesperson wrote: “Elon was at the party for a couple hours and left around 1 a.m. after talking with several DFJ-funded entrepreneurs about technology and building companies. His impression was that it was a corporate party with a costume theme, not a “sex party,” and there was no indication that it would become one after he left.”

The Silicon party scene, featuring attendance by some of the most powerful men in tech and investing circles, are regular, exclusive, and sometimes sex- or drug-fueled events, according to Bloomberg reporter Emily Chang’s forthcoming book, Brotopia: Breaking Up the Boys’ Club of Silicon Valley. Excerpted in Vanity Fair on Tuesday, the book will be released Feb. 6 by Portfolio, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group.

Axios identified the home in the excerpt as Jurvetson’s residence. A separate blog post by entrepreneur Paul Biggar said that he didn’t observe any sexual activities at the event. Two other attendees in addition to Musk said on the record that they didn’t see any sex.

In November, Jurvetson stepped down from his venture firm Draper Fisher Jurvetson as well as took leave from the boards of Tesla and SpaceX, following an internal investigation.

DFJ issued a statement at the time saying that Jurvetson and the VC firm parted ways “by mutual agreement.”

“DFJ’s culture has been, and will continue to be, built on the values of respect and integrity in all of our interactions,” a DFJ spokesperson said. “We are focused on the success of our portfolio companies, as well as the long-term vision for the firm and will continue to operate with the highest professional standards.”

The firm’s did not reveal the reason for Jurvetson’s departure. But anonymous sources cited by Recode said “the investigation uncovered behaviors by Jurvetson that were unacceptable related to a negative tone toward women entrepreneurs.”

About the Author
By Kirsten Korosec
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Lists Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Lists Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

Palantir Technologies CEO Alex Karp in Davos, Switzerland in January 2026. (Photo by Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images)
NewslettersFortune Tech
Palantir staff reportedly question company’s commitment to civil liberties
By Andrew NuscaApril 27, 2026
12 minutes ago
Top CD rates today, April 27, 2026: Lock in up to up to 4.20%
Personal FinanceBanks
Top CD rates today, April 27, 2026: Lock in up to up to 4.20%
By Glen Luke FlanaganApril 27, 2026
52 minutes ago
Today’s top high-yield savings rates: Up to 5.00% on April 27, 2026
Personal FinanceSavings accounts
Today’s top high-yield savings rates: Up to 5.00% on April 27, 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganApril 27, 2026
52 minutes ago
Photo: Donald Trump addresses the media.
PoliticsMarkets
A manifesto, a train ride, and gaps in security that let a shooter get near Trump
By Jim EdwardsApril 27, 2026
1 hour ago
After the Trump shooting attempt, CEOs need a new security playbook
NewslettersCEO Daily
After the Trump shooting attempt, CEOs need a new security playbook
By Diane BradyApril 27, 2026
1 hour ago
Current refi mortgage rates report for April 27, 2026
Personal FinanceReal Estate
Current refi mortgage rates report for April 27, 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganApril 27, 2026
4 hours ago

Most Popular

'You feel radicalized': A Meta AI exec watched agents beat her top workers. Now she's built a nonprofit to help Gen Z find jobs before they disappear
Future of Work
'You feel radicalized': A Meta AI exec watched agents beat her top workers. Now she's built a nonprofit to help Gen Z find jobs before they disappear
By Jake AngeloApril 26, 2026
1 day ago
The U.S. military may have already used up half of its most expensive missiles, and it could take up to 4 years to rebuild its stockpiles
Politics
The U.S. military may have already used up half of its most expensive missiles, and it could take up to 4 years to rebuild its stockpiles
By Sasha RogelbergApril 24, 2026
3 days ago
More than 90,000 tech workers have been laid off this year. But here’s why companies like Microsoft are offering voluntary buyouts instead
Big Tech
More than 90,000 tech workers have been laid off this year. But here’s why companies like Microsoft are offering voluntary buyouts instead
By Jacqueline MunisApril 26, 2026
22 hours ago
Elon Musk says saving for retirement is irrelevant because AI is going to create a world of abundance: 'It won't matter'
Future of Work
Elon Musk says saving for retirement is irrelevant because AI is going to create a world of abundance: 'It won't matter'
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezApril 26, 2026
17 hours ago
This CEO lived on canned soup and took just two days off for his daughter’s birth. Now he admits he lost sight of proper work-life balance
Success
This CEO lived on canned soup and took just two days off for his daughter’s birth. Now he admits he lost sight of proper work-life balance
By Preston ForeApril 25, 2026
2 days ago
Tim Cook built Apple into a $4 trillion company. Then his greatest strength became his biggest liability
Commentary
Tim Cook built Apple into a $4 trillion company. Then his greatest strength became his biggest liability
By Andrea PetroneApril 25, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.