With claim and counter-claim continuing forthcoming from several of the parties involved, Bloomberg, the media outlet that published the initial story, have reported that federal investigators in the US are now conducting a preliminary inquiry.

Since the initial reports surfaced, Fairtrade International, along with Helvetas and Victoria’s Secret have since initiated investigations into the report findings which also alleged the US lingerie brand had then sold underwear made from the Fairtrade and organic cotton grown on farms in West Africa that use child labour.

Based on the information it has obtained from its recent field assessment in West Africa, Fairtrade International claims a number of discrepancies cast some doubt on the overall credibility of the news report, while Bloomberg says that it stands by its reporting and claims that Fairtrade has “quietly removed from its website several initial assertions about the report”.

Much of the uncertainty seems to centre around the identity, age and role of the girl involved in the initial report.

Fairtrade and Columbus, Ohio-based Limited Brands say their own inquiries show the girl at the centre of the piece picks vegetables, not fair- trade cotton, and is an adult while Bloomberg says that it confirmed through several sources before publication that the girl picks cotton for Burkina Faso’s fair-trade and organic program. There have been no allegations that Victoria’s Secret was aware of forced child labour.

The US government’s preliminary inquiry is being done by the ICE Homeland Security Investigations division, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security, according to Bloomberg, whose report also points out that the government can seize goods and impose fines.