Cambridge Analytica Is Put Into Administration

Published on : 26th October, 2026
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Originally published in 2018. Re-edited and updated for clarity.

  • Cambridge Analytica ceased operations and entered insolvency and liquidation in May 2018, with joint administrators appointed to wind down the company and its parent entities.

Key Details of Administration and Liquidation

Closure Announcement: Cambridge Analytica announced it was shutting down and beginning insolvency proceedings on May 1, 2018, shortly after the massive Facebook data scandal broke.

  • Joint Administrators and Liquidators: In April 2019, the High Court appointed joint administrators/liquidators Vincent John Green and Mark Newman from Crowe UK LLP to manage the formal liquidation of Cambridge Analytica and related SCL Group entities.
  • Parent Company Liquidation: SCL Elections Limited, the parent corporation holding an ownership interest in Cambridge Analytica, was placed into formal liquidation on April 17, 2019.
  •  Regulatory and Legal Actions: While administration and wind-down proceedings took place, the firm faced investigations and enforcement actions from authorities such as the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and an administrative complaint filed by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in July 2019.

Readers Guide To the Administration Process

Since Cambridge Analytica has gone into administration here is a quick guide to the legal realities of the administration process.

The Process: Administration is a legal “moratorium” that protects insolvent companies from creditor action. Licensed Insolvency Practitioners take control to either rescue the business or sell its assets to achieve a better result than immediate closure.

Who gets paid? There is a strict legal queue. Secured lenders (banks) and “preferential” creditors (employees and HMRC) are paid first. Unsecured creditors, including trade suppliers and customers, are at the back of the line and often receive nothing.

Employees: Redundancies often occur in the first 14 days. After this window, the administrator “adopts” remaining contracts, making ongoing wages a priority. Unpaid redundancy or notice pay can usually be claimed through the government’s Redundancy Payments Service.

Suppliers & Customers: Suppliers should negotiate “pro-forma” (upfront) terms for any new orders. For customers, gift cards and deposits are rarely honored. However, if you paid over £100 via credit card, you may be able to claim a refund under Section 75.

Written ByRobert Moore

Insolvency Advisor & Content Lead

+447584583884

Rob has spent over twenty years on the front line of the UK restructuring sector, acting as a trusted first point of contact for many worried company directors. If you are facing aggressive creditor pressure or dealing with bailiff threats, Rob can talk to you through your options clearly

Rob is now working with the Board at RMT to develop strategic marketing programmes to support the business plan and drive more company rescues.

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