This is Russia we are talking about, so it is hard to say what happened with the "missing food" or if a crime was committed at all.  Russia is traditionally known as a closed government that is fraught with corruption and secrecy.  This scandal occurred in 1992 when Vladimir Putin was involved in city politics in St. Petersburg.  The city was faced with major food shortages and Putin brokered a deal in which he would send over one hundred million dollars in resources (oil, lumber, cotton) to other countries in exchange for food.  The materials were sent out, but the food never materialized.  In essence, $100 million of materials went missing.  It would seem on the surface, that Putin benefited from this exchange is some way, or, at least, would have knowledge of what happened. Investigations did not implicate Putin, however.  If Putin did benefit in any way from this deal, the crime would be embezzlement.  Embezzlement is when a politician, or a person that has responsibility for somebody else's property, steals the money or property.