https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/07/elon-musk-probably-should-have-taken-tesla-private-early-investor-tim-draper-says--.html > Elon Musk could have saved himself some trouble by taking Tesla private, according to early investor and prominent Silicon Valley venture capitalist Tim Draper. > In an interview with CNBC at the Web Summit conference in Lisbon on Tuesday, Draper said Elon Musk made a "human" mistake when he tweeted he had secured funding to take Tesla private in August. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged Musk with misleading investors, ultimately costing the company $20 million in settlement fees and Musk his title as Tesla chairman.