The Wall Street Journal reported over the weekend that Meta Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg is being investigated by the company's lawyers for her use of corporate resources over the last few years, citing anonymous sources.
According to reports, the probe is looking at whether Sandberg utilized Facebook employees to work on personal projects such as her second book, the Lean In foundation, and her second wedding. The source said the investigation has been continuing since last fall, with many Meta workers being questioned.
Sandberg is facing an internal probe by Facebook's parent company, according to an April piece in the Journal, after accusations she forced the U.K. tabloid Daily Mail to remove headlines about her former partner, Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick.
Sandberg contacted the Daily Mail in 2016 and 2019 to prevent stories about Kotick from being published, according to the report. Sandberg is said to have coordinated with workers from Facebook and Activision, as well as outside advisers, to put pressure on the UK magazine.
Sandberg announced last week that she will leave Facebook in the fall, while she will continue on the board of directors.
Sandberg's exit comes after Meta, formerly known as Facebook, was embroiled in a series of privacy and misinformation issues.
The exec, a 14-year company veteran, has not been without controversy and has faced criticism that Facebook management was reluctant to respond to Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election.
Meta has been working on establishing the metaverse in recent months, which are virtual environments where individuals may connect, play, and work. It has increased its investment in virtual reality and augmented reality as part of this endeavor. However, policing unpleasant information like harassment and hate speech in virtual worlds will be more difficult than on social media.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said on Facebook that Javier Olivan, the company's chief growth officer, will take over as COO. He did clarify, though, that the firm has no plans to change Sandberg's job in its current structure because she defined it in her own unique way.
Sandberg began working at Facebook in 2008. She was Google's vice president of worldwide online sales and operations before joining Facebook. She also served as the head of staff to former US Treasury Secretary Larry Summers.
"I am not entirely sure what the future will bring -- I have learned no one ever is," Sandberg said in a Facebook post. "But I know it will include focusing more on my foundation and philanthropic work, which is more important to me than ever given how critical this moment is for women."
