Nearly $1.5 billion is mysteriously missing from Tesla's coffers

• Update: Financial Times admits it's 'Tesla is missing $1.4 billion' report is completely wrong

Since Elon Musk moved closer to the Trump administration and took up the reigns of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a new regulatory body designed to reduce fraud, waste, and operating costs in the US government, Musk's businesses have taken a sharp hit, notably Tesla.

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Musk's political leanings have resulted in him becoming much more divisive, and that is being reflected in Tesla's stock price, which has seen a dramatic drop in value since December 2024, when its stock was priced at approximately $462 per share. Now, Tesla shares are valued at $236 per share, bringing them back down to September 2024 levels. However, that isn't all of Tesla's problems.

A new report from the Financial Times revealed that Tesla is missing approximately $1.4 billion from its books. The report cites an investigation into Tesla's cash flow statements and capital expenditures over the last six months of 2024. According to the FT report, the investigation found holes in the books totaling the reported missing $1.4 billion. Tesla's cashflow statements reveal the company spent $6.3 billion on "purchases of property and equipment excluding finance leases, net of sales" throughout the second half of 2024.

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However, the balance sheet states the gross value of property, plant, and equipment rose by $4.9 billion, which leaves a $1.4 billion discrepancy between the figures. The FT report states that $1.4 billion has "gone astray," with the publication stating there are some ways to account for the missing funds, such as asset sales or foreign exchange-related issues. However, Tesla didn't report these on its books.