Interior Ministry officials said today a contractor, PO Teplotekhnik, received the money for work on the theater's electrical system despite not fulfilling its contract, Russian news agencies reported.
The company couldn't immediately be reached for comment.
A symbol of national pride for centuries, the Bolshoi reopened in 2011 after a USD 1 billion renovation.
Despite the lavish sums, much of the work was of poor quality, with cracks appearing in the walls and gold leaf crumbling away.