Meta probe puts heat on Sandberg
Facebook’s parent company Meta is investigating whether outgoing COO Sheryl Sandberg improperly used company employees and resources to work on her personal projects, including writing a book and promoting her foundation, according to a report.
The 52-year-old Sandberg, who announced last week that she was resigning from her position as Mark Zuckerberg’s No. 2, said she is leaving the company after 14 years to focus on women’s issues.
Her announcement coincided with a Wall Street Journal report that she was being investigated by Meta attorneys for using company resources to help plan her wedding to her fiance, marketing executive Tom Bernthal.
But the Journal reported on Friday that the wedding is just a small part of a much broader inquiry into Sandberg’s behavior that stretches back years.
Meta attorneys are reportedly looking into whether Sandberg had subordinates devote energy and resources on company time to support her women’s empowerment initiative, Lean In, named after her 2013 book.
Sandberg is also being investigated by company lawyers for allegedly having staffers help her write her second book, “Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy.”
The book was written in 2017. It describes the grief she felt after the sudden passing of her first husband, SurveyMonkey CEO Dave Goldberg, in 2015.
If the probe determines that Sandberg behaved improperly, she could be asked to reimburse Meta for the time that employees spent working on her personal projects.
There is also reportedly some concern within the company that Sandberg failed to adequately disclose the use of professional resources for personal gain to the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Meta and Sandberg didn’t respond to a request seeking comment.
Sources close to Sandberg told the Journal that the investigation played no role in her decision to step down.
Sources also told the Journal that Sandberg feels that she has become a “punching bag” for the company’s problems.