FILE PHOTO: Juul brand vape cartridges are pictured for sale at a shop in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., September 26, 2019. REUTERS\/Elijah Nouvelage\/File Photo<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n (Reuters) – U.S. regulators have opened a probe regarding Marlboro maker Altria Group Inc\u2019s (MO.N<\/span>) investment in e-cigarette maker Juul Labs Inc, according to a person familiar with the matter. <\/p>\n The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating whether the Marlboro maker adequately disclosed the risks to its shareholders when it spent $12.8 billion in 2018 for a 35% stake in the start-up, the Wall Street Journal reported earlier on Friday. <\/p>\n The SEC has issued subpoenas to Juul and the e-cigarette maker has responded, according to the person familiar with the matter. <\/p>\n Juul has turned over documents including correspondence with Altria and financial projections Juul shared with Altria before the deal, the person said. <\/p>\n Altria has recorded $8.6 billion in impairment charges since investing in Juul in December 2018, bringing the value of its investment to $4.2 billion by end of 2019. <\/p>\n Juul and Altria did not immediately respond to a request from Reuters for comment. <\/p>\n Reporting by Praveen Paramasivam and Abhishek Manikandan in Bengaluru, and Chris Kirkham in Los Angeles; Editing by Shailesh Kuber and Daniel Wallis<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n