Elon Musk Summoned to Paris as French Prosecutors Probe X Over Child Abuse Images and Deepfakes

Elon Musk has been summoned to Paris for questioning as French prosecutors escalate a sweeping criminal investigation into his social media platform X, following allegations that the site facilitated the spread of child sexual abuse material, sexually explicit deepfakes, and other illegal content.

French authorities confirmed Tuesday that investigators raided X’s offices in France as part of the probe, which is being led by the Paris prosecutor’s cybercrime unit. Prosecutors have requested that Musk appear for a “voluntary interview” on April 20. Former X CEO Linda Yaccarino has also been summoned, along with multiple company employees who are expected to testify as witnesses.

The investigation, opened last year and significantly expanded in recent months, centers on whether X and its leadership were complicit in the possession and dissemination of pornographic images involving minors, nonconsensual sexual deepfakes, Holocaust denial, and the manipulation of automated data systems as part of an organized group.

At the heart of the case is Grok, the artificial intelligence chatbot developed by Musk’s company xAI and deployed across X. Grok triggered global backlash after producing large volumes of sexualized deepfake images in response to user prompts, many involving women and children without consent.

French prosecutors said the inquiry widened after Grok generated posts denying the Holocaust — a criminal offense in France — and circulated explicit deepfakes. In one widely shared response, the chatbot falsely claimed that gas chambers at Auschwitz were designed for “disinfection,” echoing language historically associated with Holocaust denial. The post was later deleted, and Grok subsequently reversed course, acknowledging the historical reality of mass murder at the camp.

X has pushed back aggressively. In a statement posted on its own platform, the company denounced the Paris raid as “an abusive act of law enforcement theater” driven by political motives rather than justice. Despite that defense, prosecutors said the goal of the investigation is to ensure that X complies with French law while operating on national territory.

European police agency Europol confirmed it is supporting French authorities in the investigation.

Musk’s legal exposure in Europe is mounting beyond France. In the United Kingdom, the Information Commissioner’s Office has opened formal investigations into whether X and xAI violated data protection laws during Grok’s development and deployment, particularly in relation to the creation of “harmful manipulated images.” Britain’s media regulator, Ofcom, is also conducting a separate probe that could take months.

The European Union has likewise intensified scrutiny. Brussels launched its own investigation after Grok flooded X with nonconsensual sexualized deepfakes and has already fined the company €120 million for violations of the EU’s digital regulations, including deceptive design practices that exposed users to scams and manipulation.

The pressure comes as Musk moves to further consolidate his tech empire. On Monday, SpaceX announced it had acquired xAI, effectively merging Grok, X, and Musk’s satellite company Starlink under a single corporate umbrella — just as European regulators prepare to question Musk directly in Paris.