SeaWorld Entertainment has been subpoenaed by the U.S. Department of Justice for public statements regarding the impact of the documentary Blackfish.
In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission posted late Friday, the company said it received a subpoena in connection with a Justice Department investigation concerning “disclosures and public statements” made by certain executives and individuals on or before August 2014 about the 2013 documentary and trading in the company’s securities.
SeaWorld in August 2014 reported that its revenue had fallen amidst criticism of its treatment of captive orca whales, the subject of the movie Blackfish. At the time, the company said the decline in revenue was due in part to negative reports about its treatment of the whales. SeaWorld’s profits tumbled further in 2015.
According to the filing, SeaWorld also received subpoenas from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission regarding the same material. SeaWorld said it formed a special committee of independent directors to deal with the inquiries.
A SeaWorld spokesperson told TIME the filing “covers everything the company has to say regarding the government inquiries.”
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Why Trump’s Message Worked on Latino Men
- What Trump’s Win Could Mean for Housing
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- Sleep Doctors Share the 1 Tip That’s Changed Their Lives
- Column: Let’s Bring Back Romance
- What It’s Like to Have Long COVID As a Kid
- FX’s Say Nothing Is the Must-Watch Political Thriller of 2024
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Write to Mahita Gajanan at mahita.gajanan@time.com