Did Uber Violate Bribery Laws Involving Foreign Officials?

Uber’s brand new CEO already has a lot to deal with: The U.S. Justice Department is in the first stages of investigating whether managers at the company ran afoul of a federal law that prohibits companies and their employees from bribing foreign officials in the course of doing business.

Probing matters

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act makes it unlawful for “certain classes of persons and entities to make payments to foreign government officials to assist in obtaining or retaining business.”

The DOJ is now looking into whether Uber managers violated that law, reports The Wall Street Journal.

Uber confirmed to the WSJ that the company is working with the DOJ on the preliminary investigation, while the agency said that as a matter of policy, it doesn’t confirm or deny the existence of an investigation.

Depending on what the DOJ finds, if anything, officials will then decide whether or not to pursue a full investigation.

New CEO on the block

The news of this investigation comes just as Uber’s board confirmed earlier reports that ex-Expedia head honcho Dara Khosrowshahi has accepted the job of CEO.

In a letter Tuesday night to employees announcing their unanimous vote for Khosrowshahi, Uber’s board of directors notes that the new CEO will answer questions at a companywide meeting on Wednesday.

“The Board and the Executive Leadership Team are confident that Dara is the best person to lead Uber into the future building world-class products, transforming cities, and adding value to the lives of drivers and riders around the world while continuously improving our culture and making Uber the best place to work,”