New details have emerged about an alleged affair between Robert F Kennedy Jr’s vice presidential pick Nicole Shanahan and Elon Musk – and about her past on the Silicon Valley party circuit.
Ms Shanahan, 38, was tapped as RFK Jr’s running mate earlier this year – an unexpected decision that is said to have been made without much research.
As a wealthy aspiring philanthropist and Silicon Valley lawyer, she has so far funneled at least $8m into their campaign. Her contributions to the super PAC American Values 2024 also helped fund RFK Jr’s Super Bowl ad.
According to The New York Times, much of Ms Shanahan’s wealth has come from her divorce settlement with her ex-husband – Google cofounder Sergey Brin. The couple’s divorce became front-page news in 2022 after The Wall Street Journal alleged Ms Shanahan had an affair with Musk, who was a close friend of Mr Brin.
Insiders told the Times that Ms Shanahan and Musk attended several parties together in 2021.
At one party in Miami that December – hosted by Musk’s brother Kimbal Musk in connection to the Art Basel festival – Ms Shanahan allegedly took the party drug ketamine with Musk.
Four people briefed on the event told the Times that the two “disappeared together for several hours” where they allegedly had sex.
Three of the insiders claimed that Ms Shanahan told her husband about the sexual encounter.
Ms Shanahan and Musk have previously publicly denied the affair.
The Independent has reached out to RFK Jr’s campaign and Musk for comment.
Neither Musk, Mr Brin’s spokesperson nor RFK Jr’s campaign returned the Times’ requests for comment.
The 2021 encounter was not the first time Ms Shanahan took recreational drugs or engaged in an extramarital affair, theTimes reported.
According to the report, Ms Shanhan enjoyed partying and used recreational drugs like ketamine, cocaine and psychedelic mushrooms. At one time, Ms Shanahan allegedly required an IV infusion after drinking and taking drugs.
Meanwhile, Ms Shanahan’s union with Mr Brin was her second marriage. The two allegedly began their relationship just weeks before Ms Shanahan was supposed to marry Jeremy Kranz, an investor in San Francisco.
Then, just 27 days after Mr Kranz and Ms Shanahan wed, he allegedly discovered texts about the affair and the couple separated.
After her divorce was finalized from Mr Brin in 2023, Ms Shanahan began dating Jacob Strumwasser, her current partner. The report alleges that Mr Strumwasser is the one who suggested to RFK Jr that Ms Shanahan could be a good option for vice president.