May 23, 2026, 11:35 a.m. ET
A 51-year-old woman from Charlotte, N.C., who believed she was helping Elon Musk, has been arrested, accused of scamming a 66-year-old Bradenton man out of at least $100,000, according to the Bradenton Police Department.
Elizabeth Ann Hildbrand was arrested on May 18, 2026, in North Carolina on charges of grand theft and money laundering, according to a BPD press release. She is awaiting extradition to Manatee County.
The victim filed a fraud report with the BPD in February 2026, and reported investing approximately $300,000 over two years with an online company called “Tesla 1,” the release said. The victim realized he’d been scammed after attempting to withdraw money from his investment account.
The release said the victim reported communicating via text messages and the Telegram app with a pair of “brokers,” including Hildbrand. Records show he transferred $87,651 through wire transfers and cashier’s checks to bank accounts she owned.
The victim also purchased Apple gift cards totaling $22,500 and provided the card numbers and PINs to the “brokers.” He also mailed an undetermined amount of cash, the release said.
Hildbrand’s financial records indicated she deposited much of the money into her accounts and subsequently made numerous cryptocurrency transactions.
Following her arrest, Hildbrand agreed to speak with a detective and said she believed she was romantically involved with Musk and agreed to help the billionaire purchase cryptocurrency, according to the release.
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