Errol Musk, the 79-year-old father of tech magnate Elon Musk, has been accused of sexually abusing five of his kids and stepkids in allegations stretching back to 1993, according to a report by The New York Times released Tuesday.

Referencing a study of personal correspondence, emails, police reports, and interviews with family members, the report alleges Errol Musk “has a strong hold over a lot of the family.” The first reported case was in 1993, when a four-year-old stepdaughter alleged he touched her at home. Ten years on, the same stepdaughter accused Errol Musk of smelling her dirty underwear. Other relatives also have accused him of assaulting two of his daughters and a stepson.

Legal Investigations Initiated, Two Stall Without Action

The Times article reported that three separate police investigations were initiated in reaction to the claims. Two of the investigations ended without action, while information about the third investigation is not known.

Errol Musk Denies Allegations, Refers To Extortion

In a statement to the Times, Errol Musk strongly denied the allegations, calling them “nonsense” and “false.” He insisted there was “no evidence” to back them up. He alleged in his statement that family members coached children to falsely accuse him and hinted at the charges as being part of a broader effort to extort his eldest son, Elon Musk.

Allegations May Explain Strained Relationship With Elon Musk

The report surmised that the allegations decades old and the denial of them by Errol Musk can perhaps be used to explain the frequently strained and remote relationship between the father and son. The Times reported that Elon Musk did not comment on requests from him about his father or the allegations.