How Elon Musk's wealth manager locked horns with a former professional gambler over managing the world's richest man's billions: WSJ

• Elon Musk's wealth manager quarreled with a new financial adviser on how to manage Musk's donations.

• Jared Birchall has been working for the world's richest man for about a decade, WSJ reported.

• Former pro gambler Igor Kurganov impressed the tech mogul despite having no financial experience.

Elon Musk's wealth manager battled with a former pro gambler who became a top adviser over how to manage the world's richest man's billions.

The Wall Street Journal reported on how Musk has been relying on a new adviser, a 34-year-old ex-professional gambler named Igor Kurganov, who hasn't been welcomed by Musk's decade-long wealth manager Jared Birchall. 

Russian-born Kurganov didn't have a background in finance or security, but moved to Texas to help put together a security team and manage the Tesla's CEO's fortune, per the report. He even spent time at Musk's house during the pandemic and the pair discussed how the billionaire could use his money for the world's greater good.

Kurganov had been in talks with nonprofit Explore Mars to potentially donate $600,000 to cover the cost of flying out a group of women with a background in robotics from Afghanistan, but was wary about the cost.

He was trying to work out the expenses, he said in an email seen by the Journal, and was "surprised" at the total cost, given the number of people.

The Musk Foundation donated $23.6 million in 2020, according to its most recent filings.