DOJ Probes Andreessen Horowitz Over AI Board Ties as Trump Ally Gave $115.5 Million
Updated
Updated · Forbes · Aug 17
DOJ Probes Andreessen Horowitz Over AI Board Ties as Trump Ally Gave $115.5 Million
3 articles · Updated · Forbes · Aug 17
Summary
A nearly year-old Justice Department probe is examining whether Andreessen Horowitz violated antitrust rules through board seats at competing AI-linked companies, Bloomberg reported.
Ben Horowitz sits on Databricks' board, while partner Martin Casado serves on Fivetran's board and previously sat on dbt labs' board before Fivetran acquired it in June.
The issue centers on federal bans on interlocking directorates, though Bloomberg said the firm could argue the law targets the same person serving on two competing boards, not different partners from one VC firm.
Any outcome is still unclear, but such investigations often end with directors resigning from the boards in question rather than broader penalties.
The probe stands out because Marc Andreessen has become a major Trump adviser and donor, with the firm and its founders reported to have given $115.5 million ahead of the November midterms.