US widens probe of HP bribery allegations

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. investigators have widened their probe of alleged kickbacks paid to Russian authorities by employees of a Hewlett-Packard Co. subsidiary in Germany.

Authorities in Russia, Germany and the U.S. have been looking into alleged bribes totaling $11 million paid to secure a $44.5 million contract that ran from 2001 until 2006.

Now, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is also investigating governmental and "quasi-governmental" transactions in Russia dating to 2000, according to a quarterly financial statement the computer maker filed Thursday.

HP says it is cooperating with the investigation, which so far has not produced any allegations aimed at …