NEW YORK (Bloomberg) - New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is investigating bonuses Merrill Lynch & Co. paid to its executives just before its sale to Bank of America Corp., a person familiar with the probe said.

There have been reports of what appear to be large, secret, last-minute bonuses, the person said.

Bank of America's purchase of Merrill closed at the end of 2008. Merrill normally paid bonuses in January or February.