▁Other ▁benef ici aries ▁were ▁companies ▁and ▁individuals ▁from ▁the ▁Sud an , ▁Y emen , ▁Cy pr us , ▁Turkey , ▁Vietnam , ▁Bang l adesh , ▁Malays ia , ▁Pakistan , ▁Roman ia , ▁the ▁U AE , ▁Mor oc co , ▁Al ger ia , ▁Tun is ia , ▁Pan ama , ▁Th ailand , ▁Ch ad , ▁China , ▁Niger ia , ▁Ken ya , ▁Ireland , ▁Bah rain , ▁and ▁the ▁Philippines ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁two ▁Sa udi ▁Arab ian ▁companies . ▁ ▁C riminal ▁investigation ▁in ▁France ▁The ▁French ▁criminal ▁justice ▁system ▁is ▁investig ating ▁the ▁alleg ed ▁invol vement ▁of ▁two ▁former ▁officials ▁from ▁the ▁French ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Foreign ▁Affairs , ▁Jean - B ern ard ▁M ér im ée ▁and ▁Serge ▁Bo ide va ix . ▁The ▁two ▁are ▁accused ▁of ▁having ▁used ▁their ▁extensive ▁network ▁of ▁connections ▁in ▁the ▁Arab ▁world ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁commit ▁" infl u ence ▁ped d ling " ▁and ▁" cor ruption ▁of ▁foreign ▁public ▁agents ". ▁They ▁have ▁been ▁put ▁under ▁formal ▁criminal ▁investigation ▁by ▁investig ating ▁magistr ate ▁Philippe ▁Cour ro ye , ▁a ▁famous ▁special ist ▁in ▁cases ▁of ▁cor ruption ▁and ▁other ▁financial ▁deal ings . ▁Both ▁men ▁had ▁retired ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁alleg ed ▁cr imes ▁and ▁acted ▁in ▁their ▁personal ▁capacity , ▁not ▁as ▁official ▁en vo ys ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁government ; ▁however , ▁Bo ide va ix ▁claims ▁that ▁he ▁kept ▁the ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Foreign ▁Affairs ▁informed ▁of ▁his