Hewlett-Packard said to be target of federal bribery probe

The U.S. Justice Department is investigating whether Hewlett-Packard Co. employees made improper payments to foreign officials to win business, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Hewlett-Packard, the largest personal computer and printer maker, said Thursday that it had talked with the Securities and Exchange Commission after its Moscow offices were searched in a possible bribery investigation. The company said it was cooperating with authorities in the U.S., Russia and Germany.

The Justice Department prosecutes criminal violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, an anti-bribery law, and the SEC pursues civil cases. The person who confirmed the Justice Department investigation wasn’t authorized to discuss the matter and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Prosecutors in Germany are investigating possible corruption linked to the company’s $47.3 million sale of computers to Russia about seven years ago. They are examining whether HP paid bribes to win the contract, said Wolfgang Klein, a spokesman at Saxony’s chief prosecutor’s office.

Gina Tyler, a spokeswoman for Palo Alto, Calif.-based Hewlett-Packard, declined to comment. Laura Sweeney, a Justice Department spokeswoman, also declined to comment.