Elon Musk denies sexually harassing a flight attendant on a private jet in 2016

Elon Musk has denounced claims in a news report that he sexually harassed a flight attendant on a private jet in 2016.

Business Insider published an article claiming that SpaceX, an aerospace company owned by Mr Musk, had made a payment to an unidentified flight attendant.

The sum, which was apparently paid to the flight attendant in 2018, was part of a severance agreement following accusations of sexual misconduct by the chief executive while the attendant worked aboard a SpaceX corporate jet.

She accused the billionaire of exposing himself and rubbing her leg without consent, and that he offered to buy her a horse in exchange for an erotic massage, according to Business Insider.

It is also reported that she was then offered an out of court settlement and asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement preventing the flight attendant from speaking about it.

Mr Musk, who is in the process of acquiring Twitter in a multi-billion dollar takeover took to the social media platform to denounce the "wild allegations" as "utterly untrue."

The attendant also claimed after she got the job she was encouraged to train as a masseuse so she could give Mr Musk massages.

Mr Musk also tweeted: "The attacks against me should be viewed through a political lens – this is their standard (despicable) playbook – but nothing will deter me from fighting for a good future and your right to free speech."

He did not specifically mention the allegations in the Business Insider article in his initial tweet.

He also claimed that the article had been written as a means to interfere with his acquisition of Twitter.