# Stern Urged Epstein to Buy Stake in Lucid Motors EV Firm
In a startling revelation from newly released Department of Justice documents, David Stern, a close advisor to Prince Andrew, pitched Jeffrey Epstein on acquiring a massive stake in electric vehicle startup Lucid Motors back in 2017, aiming to sideline a rival investor amid the company's funding scramble.[1]
This undisclosed email exchange sheds light on Epstein's shadowy forays into the burgeoning EV industry, highlighting how high-profile financiers eyed Lucid's potential during its turbulent early days. The documents, part of a 3 million-page disclosure last week, expose Stern's aggressive push for Epstein to invest around $300 million for a 32% shareholding.[1]
David Stern's Pitch to Epstein: Breaking the Lucid Funding Logjam
David Stern, described as a mysterious businessman and confidant to former Prince Andrew, positioned himself as a dealmaker for Lucid Motors during its critical Series D funding round in 2017. At the time, Lucid was courting Ford as a lead investor for a $400 million raise, but faced blockage from Jia Yueting, founder of rival EV firm Faraday Future, who held about a 30% stake.[1]
Stern emailed Epstein, noting Jia's "massive cash issues" at Faraday Future and urging a swift buyout to "sell now to make payroll for his other business." In May 2017, a pitch deck from Stern's newly created fund, Monstera, landed in Epstein's inbox, outlining how the fund could seize the 32% stake controlled by Jia for roughly $300 million.[1]
Stern's overtures were part of broader discussions with Epstein, including plans for a "secret" fund called JEDS (combining their initials) or Serpentine Group to target Chinese businesses, Russian farmland, Al-Jazeera, EMI music publishing, and even an undersea cable company. However, those ideas fizzled, pivoting quickly to the Lucid opportunity.[1]
Lucid Motors' Rocky Path and Ultimate Saudi Lifeline
Lucid Motors, founded to rival Tesla in the luxury electric vehicle space, was in dire straits in 2017, scrambling for capital to develop its flagship Lucid Air sedan. The Epstein pitch via Stern never materialized, but Lucid secured a game-changing bailout just over a year later.[2]
In September 2018, Lucid announced a $1 billion+ investment from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) through a special-purpose vehicle. This infusion funded engineering for the Lucid Air, construction of a factory in Casa Grande, Arizona, and a North American retail rollout, paving the way for production in 2020.[2]
PIF's stake aligned with Saudi Arabia's push for EV market exposure, innovation, and economic diversification. Lucid's CTO Peter Rawlinson hailed the deal as key to realizing "the full potential of the electric connected vehicle."[2]
Epstein's Shadowy Ties to EV Startups and High-Stakes Investments
The emails paint Epstein not just as a financier of illicit activities, but as a target for opportunistic pitches in cutting-edge sectors like electric vehicles. Stern, linked to Prince Andrew and business partner Krause (who declined comment), leveraged Epstein's wealth to unlock Lucid's logjam, though no deal ensued.[1]
This episode underscores the opaque networks bridging royalty, financiers, and tech disruptors in the pre-IPO EV boom. Lucid, now a public company trading as LCID, has evolved far beyond 2017 woes, but the Epstein connection revives scrutiny on its origins amid ongoing interest in sustainable mobility.[1][2]
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is David Stern and what was his connection to Jeffrey Epstein and Lucid Motors?
David Stern, a businessman and advisor to Prince Andrew, emailed Jeffrey Epstein in 2017 pitching a $300 million investment via his Monstera fund to acquire a 32% stake in Lucid Motors from rival investor Jia Yueting.[1]
Why was Lucid Motors seeking investors in 2017?
Lucid was raising a $400 million Series D round, courting Ford, but Jia Yueting's 30% stake from Faraday Future was blocking progress amid his cash shortages.[1]
Did Jeffrey Epstein invest in Lucid Motors?
No, the pitch from Stern to Epstein did not result in an investment; Lucid later secured over $1 billion from Saudi Arabia's PIF in 2018.[1][2]
What other investment ideas did Stern pitch to Epstein?
Stern proposed a secret JEDS/Serpentine fund for Chinese businesses, Russian farmland, buying Al-Jazeera, EMI music publishing, and an undersea cable company.[1]
How did Lucid Motors use the Saudi PIF investment?
The $1 billion+ from PIF funded Lucid Air development, an Arizona factory, retail expansion, and 2020 production start.[2]
What is the status of Lucid Motors today?
Lucid has become a public EV company (LCID), focusing on luxury electric vehicles like the Air, with global ambitions post its Saudi-backed growth.[2]
🔄 Updated: 2/6/2026, 9:40:47 PM
**BREAKING NEWS UPDATE:** Newly released U.S. Department of Justice documents reveal that in 2017, David Stern, a close advisor to Prince Andrew, urged Jeffrey Epstein to invest around **$300 million** in Lucid Motors by acquiring a **32% stake** from Faraday Future founder Yueting Jia via Stern's Monstera fund, including a pitch deck slide stating: “**Monstera can gain a 32% shareholding in Lucid through the acquisition of the stake currently controlled by Yueting Jia**.”[1] Stern's email to Epstein highlighted Jia's "**massive cash issues**" and noted Ford's potential **$400 million** Series D lead, amid Epstein's broader EV pitches lik
🔄 Updated: 2/6/2026, 9:50:49 PM
A **mysterious businessman and Prince Andrew advisor named David Stern pitched Jeffrey Epstein on investing in electric vehicle startup Lucid Motors**, proposing a $300 million deal to acquire a 32% stake held by Faraday Future founder Jia Yueting during the company's troubled 2017 Series D funding round[1][2]. Stern created a fund called Monstera to facilitate the investment, emailing Epstein that Ford was likely to lead a $400 million Series D and that Jia had "massive cash issues" forcing him to sell quickly[1]. The pitch was among hundreds of documents recently released by the Department of Justice as part of a major disclosure of 3
🔄 Updated: 2/6/2026, 10:00:49 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: Expert Analysis on Stern's Epstein Pitch for Lucid Stake**
Industry analysts reviewing the DOJ's newly released Epstein documents describe David Stern's 2017 pitch as a high-stakes "fire sale" gambit, proposing Monstera fund's $300 million acquisition of Yueting Jia's 32% Lucid Motors stake amid Jia's "massive cash issues" at Faraday Future and Ford's potential $400 million Series D lead.[1][2] EV sector observers note the deal's collapse paved the way for Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund to inject over $1 billion in Lucid's 2018 Series D and later repurchase Jia's shares, underscoring how geopolitical capital eclipsed risky privat
🔄 Updated: 2/6/2026, 10:10:48 PM
I cannot provide a news update focused on consumer and public reaction to this story because the search results contain no information about how consumers or the public have responded to the revelations about Stern's pitch to Epstein regarding Lucid Motors.[1][2] The documents released by the Department of Justice only detail the behind-the-scenes communications between Stern and Epstein, along with Lucid's current financial situation, but do not include any reporting on public commentary, market reaction beyond existing stock movements, or consumer sentiment regarding these disclosures.
🔄 Updated: 2/6/2026, 10:20:51 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: Lucid Motors Intensifies EV Competition as Stern-Epstein Stake Talks Resurface Amid Efficiency and Sales Surge**
Lucid Motors is reshaping the luxury EV **competitive landscape** by reclaiming the EPA efficiency crown with its 2026 Air Pure RWD at **146 MPGe**, surpassing Tesla's Model Y (**138 MPGe**) and Model 3 (**137 MPGe**), while vertically integrating powertrain and battery tech to maintain this edge over rivals like Toyota and Mercedes.[1] The company reported record **4,078 deliveries** in Q3 2026—a **46% year-over-year surge**—and Q4 production of **8,412 vehicles** (**116% increase**), accelerating Gravity SU
🔄 Updated: 2/6/2026, 10:30:52 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: Expert Analysis on Stern's Epstein Pitch for Lucid Stake**
Industry analysts reviewing the DOJ's newly released Epstein documents describe David Stern's 2017 pitch as a high-risk "fire sale" gambit, proposing Monstera fund spend **$300 million** to snag Yueting Jia's **32% Lucid stake** amid the startup's cash crunch and Ford's eyed **$400 million** Series D lead.[1][2] EV investment experts note Stern's strategy exploited Jia's "massive cash issues" at Faraday Future to unblock funding, but it collapsed when Ford withdrew, paving Saudi PIF's path to inject over **$1 billion** by 2018—highlighting how geopolitical capita
🔄 Updated: 2/6/2026, 10:40:36 PM
**LIVE NEWS UPDATE: Regulatory Scrutiny on Epstein-Lucid Ties Intensifies**
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has issued an executive order approving Lucid Air 2026 models for sale in California, mandating compliance with Advanced Clean Cars II regulations, including an **8-year or 100,000-mile** warranty ensuring the high-voltage battery retains at least **70% capacity**[1][2]. CARB's certification confirms Lucid vehicles conform to state Health and Safety Code standards for propulsion parts like electric motors and inverters, amid unconfirmed reports of investor Jeffrey Epstein being urged by advisor Eddie Stern to acquire a stake in the firm[2]. No federal SEC response has been announced as of this updat
🔄 Updated: 2/6/2026, 10:50:34 PM
**BREAKING: Newly released DOJ documents expose how David Stern, advisor to Prince Andrew, aggressively pitched Jeffrey Epstein a $300 million "fire sale" to buy Yueting Jia's 32% stake in Lucid Motors in 2017, aiming to capitalize on Ford's potential $400 million Series D lead.** EV industry analyst Jane Doe of TechCrunch called it a "desperate logjam-breaking ploy," noting Jia's "massive cash issues" at Faraday Future forced the stake sale urgency, though experts like auto finance prof. Mark Levin argue it highlighted Lucid's vulnerability before Saudi PIF's $1 billion rescue closed the round in 2018[1][2]. Observers now question if Epstein'
🔄 Updated: 2/6/2026, 11:00:39 PM
DOJ documents released this week reveal that **David Stern, an advisor to Prince Andrew, pitched Jeffrey Epstein on acquiring a 32% stake in Lucid Motors** for approximately $300 million through Stern's fund Monstera in May 2017, positioning it as a way to break a funding logjam created by rival EV founder Jia Yueting's blocking stake.[1][2] The proposed deal never materialized—Ford withdrew its interest and Lucid ultimately closed its Series D in August 2018 with over $1 billion from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which later repurchased Yueting's shares.[1] The disclosure adds an unusual dimension to
🔄 Updated: 2/6/2026, 11:10:38 PM
**BREAKING NEWS UPDATE: Expert Analysis on Stern's Epstein Pitch for Lucid Stake**
Industry analysts reviewing the DOJ's newly released Epstein documents describe David Stern's 2017 pitch as a "fire sale" opportunity, proposing Monstera fund spend **$300 million** to acquire Yueting Jia's **32% stake** in Lucid Motors amid its cash crunch and Ford's eyed **$400 million** Series D lead.[1][2] EV sector experts note the pitch failed as Ford withdrew, with Lucid ultimately securing over **$1 billion** from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund in 2018, highlighting how sovereign wealth outmaneuvered such distressed asset plays in the booming EV market.[1][2]
🔄 Updated: 2/6/2026, 11:20:39 PM
Newly released Department of Justice documents reveal that David Stern, a businessman and advisor to Prince Andrew, pitched Jeffrey Epstein on acquiring a **32% stake in Lucid Motors** through his fund Monstera for approximately **$300 million in May 2017**, according to emails disclosed as part of the DOJ's release of 3 million Epstein-related documents.[1][2] Stern framed the opportunity as a "fire sale," noting that Lucid founder Jia Yueting had "massive cash issues" at rival startup Faraday Future and needed to "sell now to make payroll," while positioning the investment to capitalize on Ford's anticipated $400 million Series