▁has ▁been ▁transparent ▁and ▁co oper ative ▁through ▁this ▁investigation . ▁ ▁Al leg ed ▁invol vement ▁of ▁Russian ▁intelligence ▁According ▁to ▁high - ran king ▁Russian ▁SV R ▁def ector ▁Serge i ▁Tre ty akov , ▁the ▁O il - for - F ood ▁Program me ▁was ▁sab ot aged ▁by ▁an ▁under cover ▁Russian ▁intelligence ▁officer , ▁Alexander ▁K ram ar , ▁a ▁UN ▁employee ▁who ▁set ▁up ▁the ▁artificial ly ▁low ▁oil ▁prices ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁to ▁allow ▁S add am ▁to ▁use ▁the ▁oil ▁v ouch ers ▁as ▁luc r ative ▁b rib es . ▁The ▁difference ▁between ▁the ▁market ▁price ▁and ▁the ▁price ▁defined ▁by ▁K ram ar ▁was ▁pocket ed ▁by ▁people ▁who ▁received ▁the ▁v ouch ers ▁from ▁S add am . ▁Among ▁the ▁b rib ed ▁were ▁top ▁officials ▁from ▁Russia , ▁France , ▁and ▁China . ▁The ▁biggest ▁part ▁of ▁v ouch ers ▁( to ▁buy ▁ ▁of ▁oil ) ▁went ▁to ▁forty - six ▁individuals ▁or ▁organizations ▁in ▁Russia , ▁including ▁the ▁Russian ▁Orth odox ▁Church . ▁They ▁pocket ed ▁$ 4 7 6 ▁million . ▁Among ▁Rus si ans ▁who ▁received ▁the ▁money ▁were ▁Alexander ▁Vol osh in ▁and ▁Vladimir ▁Zh ir in ov sky . ▁Serge i ▁Is akov , ▁a ▁friend ▁of ▁Vol osh in , ▁carried ▁" b ags ▁with ▁money " ▁from ▁Moscow ▁to ▁Bag hd ad ▁taking ▁the ▁" ear ned " ▁money ▁as ▁kick back s ▁to ▁S add am . ▁ ▁Al