Could Elon Musk Talk Himself Into a Tesla Buyout? | NYT

Unclear if this is how the simulation will play out...

"Being ejected from Tesla would leave Mr. Musk free to revive his plan from last summer to take the company private. The infamous tweet in which he said he was “considering taking Tesla private at $420. Funding secured” is what prompted the S.E.C. to accuse him of fraud. And it led to the October court-approved agreement that the regulator on Monday accused him of violating.

He has a number of advantages over rival potential bidders, not least his 20 percent ownership stake. The board may be amenable: It’s still packed with his friends, business partners and family. Meanwhile, if his putative backers really were prepared to help buy Tesla at $72 billion — the valuation implied by his tweet — they certainly should be at $26 billion.

Mr. Musk might even feel inclined to send the S.E.C. a thank-you note. Via Twitter, of course."

Could Elon Musk Talk Himself Into a Tesla Buyout? | NYT