Reports: Prosecutors probe Walmart payments in Brazil

The Justice Department is taking a hard look at Walmart's operations in Brazil as part of a bribery investigation, according to media reports that surfaced Tuesday.

In particular, the investigation is focusing on $500,000 in payments to a person who was hired to obtain government permits to build two stores in Brazilia, the nation's capital, the Wall Street Journal reports, based on an investigative document it has obtained.The payments were made between 2009 and 2012.

Prosecutors want to know how much senior Walmart executives knew about the payments, and whether they approved them.

A Justice Department spokesman could not be reached for comment. Walmart, in a statement, said, it is cooperating with the government and can't comment further.

"For Walmart, compliance with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and other anti-corruption laws is a key priority," spokesman Greg Hitt said in the statement. "We work closely with third-party compliance experts on support and training as we continuously review and strengthen our programs around the world."