Changes

Browder invested about $230 million on behalf of Wall Street investors and some of his own money in the supposed new [[free market]] of the [[Russian Federation]]. By the 2010s, Browder accused the Russians of fraudulent accounting after sustaining big losses. Putin however, claimed Browder owed massive taxes after looting the  country.  

Browder invested about $230 million on behalf of Wall Street investors and some of his own money in the supposed new [[free market]] of the [[Russian Federation]]. By the 2010s, Browder accused the Russians of fraudulent accounting after sustaining big losses. Putin however, claimed Browder owed massive taxes after looting the  country.  

Browder hired Magnitsky to investigate his losses, but Magnitsky was thrown in prison and accused of being part of Browder's tax avoidance scheme.<ref>http://dailycaller.com/2017/07/10/senate-panel-to-hear-testimony-from-businessman-targeted-by-trump-dossier-firm/</ref>

Browder hired Magnitsky to investigate his losses, but Magnitsky was thrown in prison and accused of being part of Browder's tax avoidance scheme.<ref>https://dailycaller.com/2017/07/10/senate-panel-to-hear-testimony-from-businessman-targeted-by-trump-dossier-firm/</ref>

[[File:Targeted sanctions.jpg|right|250px|thumb|''Targetted Sanctions'', a Moscow art exhibit responds to passage of the Magnitsky Act.]]

[[File:Targeted sanctions.jpg|right|250px|thumb|''Targetted Sanctions'', a Moscow art exhibit responds to passage of the Magnitsky Act.]]

Browder contacted Sens. [[John McCain]] and [[Ben Cardin]] with a tear-jerker story and a list of powerful Russian oligarchs close to Putin whom Browder accused of stealing his money. When the [[Ukrainian crisis|Crimean annexation]] occurred, McCain used Browder's list to create a "targeted sanctions" list of specific individuals, oligarchs, and businesses whom Browder accused.

Browder contacted Sens. [[John McCain]] and [[Ben Cardin]] with a tear-jerker story and a list of powerful Russian oligarchs close to Putin whom Browder accused of stealing his money. When the [[Ukrainian crisis|Crimean annexation]] occurred, McCain used Browder's list to create a "targeted sanctions" list of specific individuals, oligarchs, and businesses whom Browder accused.

==FusionGPS==

==FusionGPS==

[[Natalia Veselnitskaya]] is a Russian lawyer hired to represent Prevezon in an [[asset forfeiture]] settlement; while in the United States settling the case, Veselnitskaya hired [[FusionGPS]] to engage in unregisteted lobbying to repeal Russian sanctions  (the Magnitsky Act).<ref>"to remove the name “Magnitsky” from the Global Magnitsky Act, delay the bills passage, and cast doubt on the Justice Dept.’s version of events prior to the passage of the Magnitsky Act. The defrauded complaintant referred to Simpson, who was hired by the [[2016 Clinton campaign|Clinton campaign]] and [[DNC]] as "a professional smear campaigner.” “[[Glenn Simpson]] knowingly spread false information on behalf of people connected to the Russian government to try to protect Russian torturers and murderers from consequences.” http://dailycaller.com/2017/01/13/exclusive-oppo-researcher-behind-trump-dossier-is-linked-to-pro-kremlin-lobbying-effort/</ref> Veselnitskaya also took part in an entrapment sting targeting Donald Trump, Jr., [[Jared Kushner]], and [[Paul Manafort]] conducted by FusionGPS and the [[FBI]], to frame the [[2016 Trump campaign]] as colluding with Russia to violate sanctions. Bill Browder testified July 27, 2017, {{quotebox|[[Lindsey Graham|Sen. Graham]]: “So, I just want to absorb that for a moment. The group that did the dossier on President Trump hired this British spy [ [[Chris Steele]] ], wound up getting it to the [[FBI]]. You believe they were working for the Russians?”<br><br>Browder: “And in the Spring and Summer of 2016 they were receiving money indirectly from [Katsyv] a senior Russian government official.”<ref>https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/07-26-17%20Browder%20Testimony.pdf</ref>}}

[[Natalia Veselnitskaya]] is a Russian lawyer hired to represent Prevezon in an [[asset forfeiture]] settlement; while in the United States settling the case, Veselnitskaya hired [[FusionGPS]] to engage in unregisteted lobbying to repeal Russian sanctions  (the Magnitsky Act).<ref>"to remove the name “Magnitsky” from the Global Magnitsky Act, delay the bills passage, and cast doubt on the Justice Dept.’s version of events prior to the passage of the Magnitsky Act. The defrauded complaintant referred to Simpson, who was hired by the [[2016 Clinton campaign|Clinton campaign]] and [[DNC]] as "a professional smear campaigner.” “[[Glenn Simpson]] knowingly spread false information on behalf of people connected to the Russian government to try to protect Russian torturers and murderers from consequences.” https://dailycaller.com/2017/01/13/exclusive-oppo-researcher-behind-trump-dossier-is-linked-to-pro-kremlin-lobbying-effort/</ref> Veselnitskaya also took part in an entrapment sting targeting Donald Trump, Jr., [[Jared Kushner]], and [[Paul Manafort]] conducted by FusionGPS and the [[FBI]], to frame the [[2016 Trump campaign]] as colluding with Russia to violate sanctions. Bill Browder testified July 27, 2017, {{quotebox|[[Lindsey Graham|Sen. Graham]]: “So, I just want to absorb that for a moment. The group that did the dossier on President Trump hired this British spy [ [[Chris Steele]] ], wound up getting it to the [[FBI]]. You believe they were working for the Russians?”<br><br>Browder: “And in the Spring and Summer of 2016 they were receiving money indirectly from [Katsyv] a senior Russian government official.”<ref>https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/07-26-17%20Browder%20Testimony.pdf</ref>}}

==Trump-Russia allegations==

==Trump-Russia allegations==

On March 31, 2017 [[Senate Judiciary Committee]] Chairman [[Charles Grassley]] inquired of the [[United States Department of Justice|Justice Dept.]] about a complaint filed in July 2016 alleging [[FusionGPS]], authors of the ''Steele dossier'', acting as an unregistered agent of Russia in a lobbying campaign to rewrite and overturn the Magnitsky Act, a law named for a [[Whistleblower Statutes|whistleblower]] who was allegedly murdered while in custody in Russia. The law imputed sanctions against certain Russian officials. Grassley wrote that when FusionGPS reportedly was acting as an unregistered agent of Russian interests, it simultaneously was creating the ''Steele dossier'' of unsubstantiated allegations of conspiracy between the Trump campaign and the Russians. The Obama Justice Dept. had done nothing since July 2016 to respond to the complaint of FusionGPS' violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).  

On March 31, 2017 [[Senate Judiciary Committee]] Chairman [[Charles Grassley]] inquired of the [[United States Department of Justice|Justice Dept.]] about a complaint filed in July 2016 alleging [[FusionGPS]], authors of the ''Steele dossier'', acting as an unregistered agent of Russia in a lobbying campaign to rewrite and overturn the Magnitsky Act, a law named for a [[Whistleblower Statutes|whistleblower]] who was allegedly murdered while in custody in Russia. The law imputed sanctions against certain Russian officials. Grassley wrote that when FusionGPS reportedly was acting as an unregistered agent of Russian interests, it simultaneously was creating the ''Steele dossier'' of unsubstantiated allegations of conspiracy between the Trump campaign and the Russians. The Obama Justice Dept. had done nothing since July 2016 to respond to the complaint of FusionGPS' violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).  

The committee is also seeking to determine the extent to which the [[FBI]] relied on the ''Steele dossier'' in its investigation. Chairman Grassley has requested documentation from Fusion GPS as to who hired and paid them, when Steele was hired, how the FBI got involved and whether Fusion GPS was aware of the FBI paying Steele.<ref>https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/complaint-firm-behind-dossier-former-russian-intel-officer-joined-lobbying-effort</ref><ref>http://dailycaller.com/2017/03/31/trump-dossier-financier-accused-of-improper-work-for-kremlin/</ref> Fox News reports both a Senate and House committee are investigating the FBI for leaks and civil rights violations.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/03/28/fbi-scrutinized-by-congress-over-probe-into-alleged-russia-trump-link.html</ref> Adam Housley reports "The person who did the unmasking is "very well known, very high up, very senior, in the intelligence world & is not in the FBI,"<ref>https://mobile.twitter.com/adamhousley/status/847858385798049793?s=09</ref> and that "unmasking the names and then spreading the names was for political purposes that have nothing to do with national security."<ref>https://mobile.twitter.com/adamhousley/status/847859134888239105</ref><ref>McCabe, Neil W. (March 31, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/03/31/fox-news-senior-obama-intelligence-official-unmasked-trump-associates/ Fox News: Senior Obama Intelligence Official Unmasked Trump Associates]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved April 1, 2017.</ref>

The committee is also seeking to determine the extent to which the [[FBI]] relied on the ''Steele dossier'' in its investigation. Chairman Grassley has requested documentation from Fusion GPS as to who hired and paid them, when Steele was hired, how the FBI got involved and whether Fusion GPS was aware of the FBI paying Steele.<ref>https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/complaint-firm-behind-dossier-former-russian-intel-officer-joined-lobbying-effort</ref><ref>https://dailycaller.com/2017/03/31/trump-dossier-financier-accused-of-improper-work-for-kremlin/</ref> Fox News reports both a Senate and House committee are investigating the FBI for leaks and civil rights violations.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/03/28/fbi-scrutinized-by-congress-over-probe-into-alleged-russia-trump-link.html</ref> Adam Housley reports "The person who did the unmasking is "very well known, very high up, very senior, in the intelligence world & is not in the FBI,"<ref>https://mobile.twitter.com/adamhousley/status/847858385798049793?s=09</ref> and that "unmasking the names and then spreading the names was for political purposes that have nothing to do with national security."<ref>https://mobile.twitter.com/adamhousley/status/847859134888239105</ref><ref>McCabe, Neil W. (March 31, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/03/31/fox-news-senior-obama-intelligence-official-unmasked-trump-associates/ Fox News: Senior Obama Intelligence Official Unmasked Trump Associates]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved April 1, 2017.</ref>

==See also==

==See also==