US Justice Department Opens Investigation Into Autonomy: HP
The U.S. Department of Justice will investigate Hewlett-Packard's recent acquisition of UK software firm Autonomy, HP said in a regulatory filing on Thursday.
Hewlett-Packard last month reported a charge in its earnings that it said related to "serious accounting improprieties" at Autonomy before HP acquired the British software maker last year for a price tag of more than more than $11 billion.
In a statement to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Hewlett-Packard said: "As a result of the findings of an ongoing investigation, HP has provided information to the U.K. Serious Fraud Office, the U.S. Department of Justice and the SEC related to the accounting improprieties, disclosure failures and misrepresentations at Autonomy that occurred prior to and in connection with HP's acquisition of Autonomy."
HP is cooperating with the three investigating agencies, the company said in the statement.
When HP purchased Autonomy in 2011, the company was criticized for overpaying for the unit — complaints that have come back to haunt the technology giant.
(Read More: A Short Seller Saw Autonomy's Problems)
The former CEO of Autonomy last month rejected the allegations made by HP in an open letter.
(Read More: Former Autonomy CEO 'Utterly Rejects' HP Allegations)
