SEC investigating Apollo Global, Carlyle Group, KKR for employee off-channel communications

Three private equity firms disclosed they are under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for having allowed employees to use unauthorized communication channels like WhatsApp and WeChat to conduct company business.

Apollo Global Management, The Carlyle Group, and KKR & Co. disclosed in quarterly filings the SEC is also investigating them for not properly recording and retaining the work-related communications of their employees.

Apollo disclosed in its quarterly filing Tuesday it received a request for information and documents “in connection with an investigation concerning compliance with record retention requirements relating to business communications sent or received via electronic messaging channels.”