The report, in Bloomberg Businessweek, states that the SEC asked the FBI for assistance on the matter. HP, which spent $11.1 billion purchasing Autonomy in 2011, filed a complaint with the SEC that year, according to the report. HP is alleging Autonomy's accounting tricks led to a total of $8.8 billion in losses.
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The FBI's involvement doesn't necessarily indicate any criminal action. As of this writing, no criminal charges have been filed against anyone related to the acquisition. Mike Lynch, the former CEO of Autonomy, told Reuters on Tuesday that he "flatly rejects" HP's allegations. Leo Apotheker, HP's CEO at the time of the purchase, released a statement saying he was "stunned and disappointed" by the charges.
Current HP CEO Meg Whitman, meanwhile, put the onus on vetting the merger on Deloitte, stating “The board relied on audited financials — audited by Deloitte — not Brand X accounting firm but Deloitte,” during a conference call on Tuesday. Deloitte, in turn, issued a statement denying "any knowledge of any accounting misrepresentations in Autonomy’s financial statements."
[More from Mashable: HP Stock Falls to Lowest Level in 9 Years]
Despite all the finger-pointing and the possible involvement of the FBI, HP's stock was up about 2.5% in early afternoon trading on Wednesday.
Bonus Gallery: HP Debuts Four New All-in-One Windows 8 Desktops [PICS]
The HP SpectreOne
While HP is known for its TouchSmart line of devices, the SpectreOne is not a touchscreen. At just 11.5-mm thin, however, it is the company's slimmest all-in-one PC. It also features a 23.6-inch flush-glass full HD display and a curved back. The SpectreOne expected to be available across the U.S. in November, with a starting price of $1,299.
Click here to view this gallery.
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, AnthonyRosenberg
This story originally published on Mashable here.