The US Justice Department is pushing BNP Paribas to pay more than $10 billion to resolve a criminal probe into allegations it evaded US sanctions against Iran and other countries for years, which would represent one of the largest penalties ever imposed on a bank, according to people familiar with the negotiations.

A final resolution of the years-long investigation of the French bank is likely weeks away, and it's possible the ultimate settlement amount could total far less than $10 billion. BNP is looking to pay less than $8 billion, according to the people familiar with the settlement discussions, although a person close to the bank said its negotiators have never mentioned the $8 billion figure in talks with US authorities.