Criminal probe led gov’t to change release of data

WASHINGTON — Federal criminal and civil investigators looked into possible leaks of economic data that the government provides early to news organizations, according to a report posted Tuesday on the Labor Department’s website.

The Securities and Exchange Commission, the FBI and the Labor Department’s inspector general are among the authorities that looked into the possible leaks, the report says. It’s unclear whether any of the probes are continuing or have resulted in any charges. The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

But the investigations have led the Labor Department to tighten security surrounding its release of economic data, including the monthly employment figures.

The room where news organizations, including The Associated Press, receive embargoed copies of the employment data is supposed to be secure. But it suffered from security flaws, according to the report.

The report outlines ways that journalists could leak the data early but didn’t suggest that any had. Recipients of such data could have made money by trading improperly on the information.

The government arranges “lock-ups” to give reporters 30 to 60 minutes to review economic data and prepare news stories before the data are publicly released. Reporters turn over their cell phones to Labor staff, have no Internet access and can’t leave the room before the data are made public.

The department says it commissioned a report after it was approached by regulatory agencies concerned that the data might be vulnerable to leaks.

The report says Labor officials raised concerns that data might be being leaked to high-frequency stock traders. It notes that high-speed traders can profit from having the data even a split-second before its public release. The department has revoked access for several news outlets that serve high-frequency stock traders.

The review was conducted by Sandia National Laboratories, a government contractor that safeguards the nation’s nuclear secrets and performs other security services. Many details of the report were blacked out, including the types of leaks anticipated by Sandia’s team. But it contains recommendations issued to the department to prevent those kinds of leaks.

An SEC spokesman had no immediate comment on the report.

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