Meta investigating Sheryl Sandberg's use of company resources, report suggests

Meta's COO Sheryl Sandberg ended her fourteen-year-long association with the company. Sandberg announced her exit on Facebook. Now, Meta is now probing Sandberg's use of company resources, people familiar with the matter has told the Wall Street Journal.Sandberg was accused of using her power to censor two news reports about her now ex-boyfriend.

As per the Wall Street Journal, several employees were interviewed by Meta in connection with the matter. Meta's has reportedly been probing the matter since December 2021.

Earlier in April 2022, another WSJ report highlighted how Sandberg received flak from the Meta board for allegedly using her power and influence to quash two stories about her now ex-boyfriend, Bobby Kotick. He is the CEO of Activision Blizzard.

As per the report, Sandberg got in touch with the Daily Mail to censor two reports about Kotick in 2016 and 2019, the reports that could have exposed the restraining orders against Kotick for allegedly harassing his previous girlfriend.

Sandberg was reportedly worried that her reputation as an advocate for women would be hampered because of her close association with a person accused of harassing a woman. Reports claimed that Sandberg allegedly threatened the Daily Mail that if the said report was published, their business relationship -- and for media companies, business relationships with social media companies are important -- with Facebook would be severed.

Meta also denied the claims made by the Wall Street Journal. "Sheryl Sandberg never threatened MailOnline's business relationship with Facebook in order to influence an editorial decision," a Facebook spokesperson had said at that time. "This story attempts to make connections that don't exist."

Earlier in June, Sandberg, said in a Facebook post, announced that she was leaving the company to focus on her philanthropy work and concentrate on her family.

"Fourteen years later, it is time for me to write the next chapter of my life. I am not entirely sure what the future will bring I have learned no one ever is," she wrote. "But I know it will include focusing more on my foundation and philanthropic work... And as Tom and I get married this summer, parenting our expanded family of five children. Over the next few months, Mark and I will transition my direct reports and I will leave the company this fall... I will continue to serve on Meta's board of directors."