Rebecca Davis O’Brien and Greg Bensinger:
Federal law-enforcement authorities in New York are investigating whether Uber Technologies Inc. used software to interfere illegally with its competitors, according to people familiar with the investigation, adding to legal pressures facing the embattled ride-hailing company and its new chief executive.
The investigation, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New York office and the Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office, is focused on a defunct Uber program, known internally as “Hell,” that could track drivers working for rival service Lyft Inc., the people said.
“We are cooperating with the SDNY investigation,” said an Uber spokesman, referring to New York’s Southern District. He declined to offer additional details.
Uber has never publicly discussed the details of the program.