Who Is Richard Tornetta? Thrash Metal Drummer Who Took Down Elon Musk

Elon Musk has been dealt a massive blow in Delaware, after a judge struck down his $56 billion Tesla compensation package on Tuesday.

In a lawsuit filed in 2018, Tesla shareholder Richard Tornetta accused the billionaire entrepreneur of improperly dictating negotiations around the gargantuan payment package, further claiming that the board had acted without independence. Judge Kathleen St. J. McCormick sided with the argument that Musk's pay package via the electric car company was over the top.

"In the final analysis, Musk launched a self-driving process, recalibrating the speed and direction along the way as he saw fit," Judge McCormick wrote. "The process arrived at an unfair price. And through this litigation, the plaintiff requests a recall."

"Put simply, neither the compensation committee nor the board acted in the best interests of the company when negotiating Musk's compensation plan. In fact, there is barely any evidence of negotiations at all," the judge stated.

A sizable chunk of SpaceX CEO Musk's fortune is now hanging in limbo, as much of it is tied to stock at Tesla, which he has run since 2008. According to the Bloomberg Billionaire Index, Musk, who is one of the world's richest men, was worth about $204 billion on Tuesday, largely due to his equity in Tesla.

Musk made his feelings known on the matter on his platform X, formerly Twitter, writing on Tuesday: "Never incorporate your company in the state of Delaware."

The ruling means that Tesla will be required to propose an alternative compensation package for Musk. There is also the option for him to appeal.

It was argued during the trial that the payment package was necessary for Musk to maintain his focus on the company during ramped up production. It was further argued that Tornetta was among the shareholders who had benefited from Musk's leadership.

Newsweek has contacted representatives of Musk via email for comment.

Who Is Richard Tornetta?

The man who could have cost Musk $56 billion of his fortune is Richard Tornetta, a former thrash metal drummer who was a part of the band Dawn of Correction.

Dawn of Correction released its first album, Dead Hand Control, in 2008. The members went their separate ways shortly afterward.

Tornetta, who holds a degree in industrial design, describes himself as a "marketer, inventor, custom fabricator, car guy, family man, and drummer" on his profile on F6S, a platform that connects founders and startups to funding.

"I designed and built an illuminated headpiece for onstage drumming performances," he wrote on his profile. "That's a fancy way of saying I made a mohawk that lights up while I'm playing drums."

Further showcasing his entrepreneurial spirit, Tornetta added that his headpiece "features 32 tricolor LEDs, resistor heat sink panel, one-foot length of 5500K IP67 LED strip, 16 pin molex tether with hand-braided leads, custom-molded epoxy coated fiberglass helmet, and portable control box complete with four DMX controllers, strobe module, and 12VDC power supply."

While that part of Tornetta's work may prove impressive, he can now add to his resume that he defeated Musk in court. Tornetta, who filed his lawsuit against several Tesla directors alongside Musk, held just nine Tesla shares at the time that he took legal action, according to Reuters.