Russian auditors launch check into Bolshoi’s finances amid claims of mismanagement

MOSCOW – Russia’s state audit agency says it is looking into the Bolshoi, a probe that comes amid allegations of mismanagement and corruption at the famed theatre.

The Audit Chamber said Thursday the investigation had been planned in advance and isn’t linked to the accusations of financial abuse raised by a dancer who was arrested earlier this month on charges of staging an acid attack on the theatre’s artistic director Sergei Filin.

But the daily Izvestia claimed the auditors were specifically looking at Filin’s spending decisions, in particular those concerning the distribution of grants between dancers.

Bolshoi soloist Pavel Dmitrichenko has said he accepted an acquaintance’s offer to beat Filin up over alleged favouritism and corruption, but didn’t expect the man to splash acid in his face.