Report: Uber faces federal criminal probe over regulator-evading software

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Federal authorities have begun a criminal investigation into Uber's use of Greyball, a software tool that the company used to evade local officials in places where the service had not been formally approved, which notably includes Portland, Oregon. This is according to Reuters, which cited two unnamed sources in its Thursday evening report.

The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to Ars' request for comment.

"We're not commenting," Aaron McLear, an Uber spokesman, e-mailed Ars. "But I've attached our letter to Portland, Oregon, officials which gives as much detail as we have given about this technology."

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