Cambridge Analytica this week issued a statement saying it was starting bankruptcy proceedings due to a ‘seige of media coverage’.
However, this may not be the end for its owners.
Two new London-based companies, Firecrest Technologies and Emerdata, have been set up with the same registered address, same purpose and same directors.
A former Cambridge Analytica employee and senior lawmakers have suggested these two companies could be picking up where Cambridge Analytica left off.
The scandal-hit company profited from a Facebook feature that meant apps could ask for permission to access users’ data as well as the data of all their friends.
The massive data breach is believed to have affected more than 87 million Facebook users, but now some claim a new data scandal may be just around the corner.
Cambridge Analytica issued a statement saying it was starting bankruptcy proceedings due to a ‘seige of media coverage’. However, it seems the scandal-hit company might not be going as quiet as previously thought. Pictured is the company’s empty Washington office
The ex-chief of Cambridge Analytica Alexander Nix and Julian Wheatland have been listed as directors of Esmerdata, writes the BBC.
Cambridge Analytica’s whistleblower Christopher Wylie worked for the scandal-hit political consultancy firm which announced on Wednesday that it was closing.
‘REMEMBER: Cambridge Analytica specialises in disinformation!’ tweeted Mr Wylie on Wednesday.
‘We need to make sure their shut down is not just some rebranding or a way to hide from investigations.
‘The SAME PEOPLE set up ANOTHER COMPANY and yesterday issued new company resolutions!’ he tweeted.
On Companies House, Emerdata says it is involved in ‘data processing, hosting and related activities’.
Firecrest describes itself as a ‘business and domestic software’ developer.
Mr Nix was appointed a director of Firecrest on 7 March but stepped down the same day.
Dr Alexander Bruce Tayler, Cambridge Analytica’s chief data officer and acting chief executive, is still in charge.
Dr Tayler, Mr Wheatland and Mr Nix are all active directors and Chief Operating Officers of Emerdata.
BBC said it contacted Firecrest and Emerdata but the person who answered the phone said she was ‘not prepared to make any comment’.
Cambridge Analytica did not respond to MailOnline’s request for comment at the time of writing.
‘REMEMBER: Cambridge Analytica specialises in disinformation!’ tweeted Cambridge Analytica’s whistleblower Christopher Wylie on Wednesday
Mr Wylie (pictured) worked for the scandal-hit political consultancy firm, which announced on Wednesday that it and its parent company SCL Elections were closing
All entities have the same London address – the offices of PKF Littlejohn based in Canary Wharf.
On Wednesday, executive and part owner of SCL Group – which formed Cambridge Analytica – described Emerdata as a way of combing the two companies under a single banner, reported New York Times.
Two more of the firm’s directors are Rebekah and Jennifer Mercer.
They are daughters of hedge fund billionaire and prominent Donald Trump supporter Robert Mercer, who is also reported to be a major investor in Cambridge Analytica.
Rebekah Mercer’s New York contact address is the same as Cambridge Analytica.
The ex-chief of Cambridge Analytica Alexander Nix (pictured) and Julian Wheatland have been listed as directors of Esmerdata
‘It’s like the hydra beast of Greek mythology — you cut one head off and another one grows,’ Damian Collins, chair of the UK parliamentary select committee for digital, culture, media and sport said, writes the FT.
‘I think it will be business as usual for Cambridge Analytica but under a different name’, he said.
Last week a Cambridge Analytica spokesperson did not deny the companies were linked.
‘Many international corporates have different divisions and different arms for different types of the business,’ he said.
When asked if Cambridge Analytica would reformulate, the spokesperson said: ‘That is a business decision, the [Cambridge Analytica] company board in due course will assess the findings of the independent investigation and will take any relevant decisions then.’