San Francisco: Uber Technologies Inc is under investigation by federal authorities in New York for its alleged use of a spyware programme designed to undermine competition for its digital ride-hailing service, according to people familiar with the matter.
The executive charged with making sure Uber follows the law, Global Head of Compliance Joseph Spiegler, resigned last week after a year and a half on the job, according to two people familiar with the matter. While Spiegler reported to the company’s top lawyer, Uber is searching for a replacement who would report directly to new Chief Executive Officer Dara Khosrowshahi, one of the people said. The ride-hailing company faces three major US legal probes.
Federal prosecutors and FBI agents in Manhattan have been investigating a programme nicknamed “Hell” at Uber that allegedly allowed the company to spy on drivers from competing service Lyft Inc, according to the people.
The programme was said to identify drivers who worked for both companies and targeted them with cash incentives to shift their allegiance to Uber. The programme was allegedly used from 2014 to 2016, the people said.
US authorities are already investigating the company on two other fronts: another programme nicknamed “Greyball” that was allegedly used to deceive regulators about its operations; and possible violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which bans payments of bribes to foreign officials. The Greyball investigation is being overseen by federal prosecutors in San Francisco, while the foreign payment case is being handled out of Justice Department headquarters in Washington.
Matt Kallman, a spokesman for San Francisco-based Uber, said the company is cooperating with the investigation, and the Hell programme is no longer being used. Representatives for the FBI and Acting US Attorney Joon Kim in Manhattan declined to comment on the probe.
Legal scrutiny
Lyft drivers filed a class-action lawsuit against Uber over the Hell programme in San Francisco federal court in April. A judge granted Uber’s request to dismiss the case last month, but allowed it to be revised and refiled. News of the New York investigation into Uber’s practices was reported earlier by The Wall Street Journal.
Closely held Uber has been beset by legal and regulatory scrutiny across a range of its practices, contributing to the pressure that ultimately resulted in the resignation of co-founder and former CEO Travis Kalanick in June. Major early-stage investors in Uber rebelled against Kalanick’s leadership after a string of controversies, including its treatment of female employees and drivers.
Uber hired Khosrowshahi, who was CEO of travel website Expedia, Inc, to take over the helm of the ride-sharing service beginning this week. Khosrowshahi has said he plans to draft a new set of core values for the company and hopes to clean up its troubles to ready it for a public offering, possibly in 2019.
