FRANKFURT, Nov 30 (Reuters) - Prosecutors are probing former employees of German steel group ThyssenKrupp over alleged fraud connected to suspicious payments in Eastern Europe, the company said on Friday.

ThyssenKrupp called in the prosecutors after a tip-off from an employee led to the discovery of irregularities and potential fraud at the eastern European operations of subsidiary GfT Bautechnik.

That led to employees being dismissed, ThyssenKrupp said in a statement, without specifying how many people were involved.

German paper Handelsblatt reported the fraud involved false invoices and unjustified commissions adding up to more than 10 million euros ($13 million), with payments made in connection to projects from ThyssenKrupp in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and China.

The prosecutors were not immediately available for comment.

($1 = 0.7705 euros)

(Reporting by Arno Schuetze and Nikola Rotscheroth; Editing by Hans-Juergen Peters) Keywords: THYSSENKRUPP BRIBERY/

(arno.schuetze@thomsonreuters.com)(+49.69.7565.1197)(Reuters Messaging: arno.schuetze.reuters.com@reuters.net)

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