The world's richest man, Elon Musk, has denied claims that he groped and exposed himself to an employee at his SpaceX rocket company six years ago.
A report in the Business Insider news outlet on Thursday alleged SpaceX paid the ex-flight attendant $250,000 (£200,000) to settle the claim.
"Those wild accusations are utterly untrue," he wrote on Twitter.
Mr Musk told Business Insider its article was a "politically motivated hit piece".
The SpaceX founder suggested the piece was intended to interfere with his stalled $44bn (£35bn) acquisition of Twitter and malign the recent shift in his politics.
He had used the social media site to announce he "can no longer support" the Democratic Party on Wednesday, saying he plans to vote for Republicans in future elections.
Shares in his electric car company, Tesla, dropped on Friday
