Chipotle has been slapped with a federal subpoena as part of a criminal investigation into a food poisoning outbreak in August. The subpoena mandates that Chipotle produce “a broad range of documents” in regard to a norovirus outbreak at its restaurant in Simi Valley, Calif., which sickened 234 customers and workers.
The investigation is being performed by the US Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California and the FDA. A food safety lawyer says that a criminal probe following such an outbreak isn’t typical, and that the only reason the feds might get involved is if there were employment infractions.
This case isn’t even the most publicized of Chipotle’s recent health scares: A norovirus outbreak in Boston sickened more than 140 college students in late 2015, and an E. coli outbreak in nine states sickened more than 50.
The company’s numbers are already hurting: Shares are down 37% over the past three months.