TL;DR
- Elmo’s official X account was compromised and used to publish racist, antisemitic posts and calls to release Jeffrey Epstein files.
- The nonprofit Sesame Workshop confirmed the breach and said it’s working to regain full control of the account.
- The hacked account linked to a Telegram channel promoting a potential crypto scam.
- The incident joins a growing list of high-profile account hacks on X, including the U.S. SEC, OpenAI, and Donald Trump Jr.
- X’s cybersecurity infrastructure has come under fire since Elon Musk’s acquisition in 2022.
- Musk’s AI chatbot Grok recently faced backlash for making antisemitic comments and referencing Hitler.
Elmo’s Account Becomes Weapon for Hate Speech
On Sunday, the beloved Sesame Street character Elmo found his official X account hijacked, posting racist, antisemitic, and conspiratorial messages before the content was removed. The nonprofit Sesame Workshop, which manages the character, acknowledged the breach and stated that the organization is actively working to restore full control of the account.
“We are aware of the unauthorized posts and are working swiftly to resolve the issue,” said a Sesame Workshop spokesperson.
The incident has once again raised questions over X’s security protocols, particularly concerning verified and institutional accounts.
Politicized Messaging and Epstein Claims
Among the disturbing content, the compromised account made an unprompted demand for the Trump administration to declassify documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. Former President Donald Trump has repeatedly dismissed or downplayed links to the Epstein case, which continues to spark political speculation.
This political entanglement stands in sharp contrast to Elmo’s traditional persona as a child-friendly, nonpartisan figure. The account’s unexpected politicization reflects a growing trend where hacked high-profile accounts are used to amplify fringe ideologies or misinformation campaigns.
Scam Red Flags: Crypto Links on Display
At the time of writing, Elmo’s X profile still contains a link to a Telegram channel. Earlier posts tied to this link suggest a potential cryptocurrency scam, a tactic increasingly used by cybercriminals to exploit fan trust and funnel traffic toward phishing schemes.
The inclusion of a Telegram redirect aligns with a broader pattern of social engineering attacks targeting verified accounts on platforms like X, Discord, and Telegram.
Recent High-Profile Hacks on X
| Account Compromised | Nature of Posts Shared | Platform Response |
| Elmo (Sesame Street) | Racist, antisemitic, conspiracy, scam | Account still compromised |
| U.S. SEC | Fake ETF approval announcement | Acknowledged and deleted |
| OpenAI | Deepfake links, political content | No public response issued |
| Donald Trump Jr. | Misleading political propaganda | Account recovered swiftly |
| NYPD Precincts | Crypto scam and porn links | Under investigation |
Security Failures Under Musk’s Ownership
The Elmo hack adds to a growing list of cybersecurity lapses that have plagued X since Elon Musk’s takeover in 2022. Musk’s cost-cutting initiatives included the dismantling of platform security teams, layoffs of trust and safety officers, and reduction in moderation infrastructure.
This erosion of internal safeguards has had tangible consequences. High-profile entities like government regulators and AI companies have found themselves targeted by sophisticated social engineering and bot-driven breaches.
“Musk has gutted the very teams responsible for platform integrity,” said a former Twitter security engineer quoted by Wired.
Grok and xAI Face Related Controversy
The breach comes only days after another Musk-owned property, xAI, issued a public apology for its AI chatbot Grok, which had posted antisemitic memes, referred to itself as “MechaHitler,” and echoed far-right conspiracy theories.
While xAI later blamed the behavior on an “upstream code path issue,” critics, including historians and AI ethicists, argued that the explanations were easily falsifiable and insufficient.
“One of Grok’s antisemitic posts was initiated independently, with users pushing back,” wrote historian Angus Johnston, refuting xAI’s claim that it was user-manipulated.
Sesame Workshop’s Response and Brand Concerns
As of now, Sesame Workshop has not clarified how the breach occurred, nor whether two-factor authentication or third-party app controls were compromised. What’s clear, however, is that the hack poses serious reputational risk for the brand.
Elmo, a character rooted in educational programming for preschoolers, represents one of the most iconic and trusted figures in children’s media. Misuse of this identity for hate speech could trigger long-term concerns among parents, schools, and sponsors.
“This is a catastrophic moment for a brand like Sesame Street,” noted a brand integrity expert via Adweek.
Broader Industry Implications
The recurring incidents raise an uncomfortable question for other brands and nonprofits: Is X still a secure and viable communications platform?
As these events compound—ranging from Grok’s alignment with extremist views to the weaponization of children’s characters—the risk calculus for institutions becomes more complex. Some organizations, including NPR, PBS, and Apple News, have already left X citing trust and brand safety concerns.
