SEC probe involving AppLovin still active, Bloomberg News reports

Feb 20 (Reuters) – The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s investigation into marketing platform AppLovin is continuing, ‌Bloomberg News reported on Friday.

Bloomberg had in October ‌reported that the SEC was probing allegations that AppLovin violated platform ​partners’ service agreements to push more targeted advertising to consumers.

The SEC declined to release documents related to the AppLovin probe when requested by Bloomberg. When appealed, ‌the agency said that ⁠an “investigation involving AppLovin is still active and ongoing.”

It did not share correspondence between staffers ⁠referencing AppLovin as it might “cause harm to the ongoing and active enforcement investigation,” the SEC said in ​a letter ​to Bloomberg on Friday.

Individuals ​and entities relevant to ‌the investigation could “fabricate evidence, influence witness testimony and/or destroy or alter certain documents,” according to the report.

The correspondence might also reveal cooperating witnesses, the SEC said in its letter to Bloomberg. It has not specified ‌the subject or scope of ​the investigation nor has it ​accused AppLovin or its ​officials of wrongdoing.

Reuters could not independently ‌verify the report. The U.S. ​SEC and AppLovin ​did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.

The investigation into AppLovin is reportedly in response ​to a ‌whistleblower complaint filed last year, along with multiple ​short-seller reports.

(Reporting by Juby Babu in Mexico ​City; Editing by Maju Samuel)