Though the cause and details of the investigation have been withheld, a profile from Talkhousereveals that the pop-up concert company -- operating in the US, Canada, Spain, and the UK -- was previously criticized for its relatively low artist payout -- rising from $50, on average, to about $100 after news broke -- and its utilization of an almost entirely volunteer workforce, dubbing unpaid workers as "ambassadors" of the brand.
According to Pitchfork, Sofar has operated as a for-profit company since 2009 with funding from several venture capital groups, including Richard Branson's Virgin Group, which recently infused the company with another $25 million.
A rep for the Dept. of Labor has confirmed the investigation. At the time of the report, Sofar had yet to offer comment.