Justice Department, FBI Investigating Cambridge Analytica

PARIS, FRANCE - MARCH 20: In this photo illustration the Facebook logo is seen on the screen of an iPhone in front of a computer screen showing a Cambrige Analytica logo on March 20, 2018 in Paris, France. Cambridge... PARIS, FRANCE - MARCH 20: In this photo illustration the Facebook logo is seen on the screen of an iPhone in front of a computer screen showing a Cambrige Analytica logo on March 20, 2018 in Paris, France. Cambridge Analytica is accused of collecting the personal information of 50 million users of the Facebook social network without their consent and would have used it to develop software to predict and influence voter voting during the campaign American election according to the New York Times and the Guardian. Facebook share price fell by more than 5% Monday shortly after the opening of Wall Street. (Photo Illustration by Chesnot/Getty Images) MORE LESS
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The Department of Justice and the FBI are investigating the now-inoperative Cambridge Analytica, the data firm that worked for President Donald Trump’s campaign and came under scrutiny for harvesting private data from millions of Facebook users, The New York Times reported Tuesday.

According to an American official and people familiar with the investigation who spoke with the Times, the DOJ and FBI in recent weeks have tried to question former employees and banks with which the company did business.

The investigation is reportedly in its early stages and investigators primarily want to get a handle on Cambridge Analytica’s business practices. The probe in the U.S. is focused mainly on the company’s finances and how it was able to gather and use personal data from more than 50 million Facebook users, according to the Times. The DOJ has also contacted Facebook as part of the probe, according to the U.S. official who spoke with the Times.

Earlier this month, the company said it would declare bankruptcy.

Read the New York Times’ full report here.

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