CORRECTED-American Apparel says not contacted by U.S. SEC

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan 27 (Reuters) - American Apparel Inc said on Tuesday it had not been contacted by federal regulators despite a newspaper report that it was under investigation because some of its emails had been stolen, including one in which a company executive supposedly said the company was near bankruptcy. The New York Post reported on Tuesday that the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission was investigating the clothing maker over emails sent by company executives that were subsequently stolen. Citing unidentified sources, the newspaper reported that one email, purportedly sent by Chief Financial Officer Adrian Kowalewski in December, said the company was near bankruptcy. American Apparel declined to comment on any email, and denied knowledge of any investigation. Shares of American Apparel closed down 9.14 percent at $1.69 on Tuesday. "The company has not been contacted by the SEC regarding these emails," Joyce Crucillo, the company's in-house general counsel, told Reuters. "As far as we know we're not aware of any SEC investigation or even inquiry." SEC spokesman John Heine declined to comment. The report, citing people close to the company, said that separately police were looking into a Christmas Eve break-in to American Apparel's computer systems. (Reporting by Alexandria Sage) ((alexandria.sage@thomsonreuters.com, +1-415-677-3923; Reuters Messaging: alexandria.sage.reuters.com@reuters.net)) Keywords: AMERICANAPPAREL (See http://blogs.reuters.com/shop-talk/ for Shop Talk -- Reuters' retail and consumer blog.) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved.

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