Changes

Maxwell was building up an [[Eastern European]] investment fund and Browder was responsible for part of Maxwell's investments and traveled extensively through the former [[communist]] bloc.

Maxwell was building up an [[Eastern European]] investment fund and Browder was responsible for part of Maxwell's investments and traveled extensively through the former [[communist]] bloc.

Maxwell's business empire, however, collapsed at the beginning of the 1990s. He was sitting on a mountain of [[debt]]. In order to be able to continue running his companies, Maxwell resorted to [[fraud]]. He stole 460 million pounds from the pension fund of the Maxwell Communications Corporation, leaving thousands of employees and pensioners destitute. At the time, the [[BBC]] described the multi-billionaire as the biggest fraudster in [[United_Kingdom#History|British history]]. Maxwell died mysteriously in November 1991 while on vacation in the [[Canary Islands]].

Maxwell's business empire, however, collapsed at the beginning of the 1990s. She was sitting on a mountain of [[debt]]. In order to be able to continue running his companies, Maxwell resorted to [[fraud]]. She stole 460 million pounds from the pension fund of the Maxwell Communications Corporation, leaving thousands of employees and pensioners destitute. At the time, the [[BBC]] described the multi-billionaire as the biggest fraudster in [[United_Kingdom#History|British history]]. Maxwell died mysteriously in November 1991 while on vacation in the [[Canary Islands]].

"For Browder, working for Maxwell was poison for his career. For a while, no other employer wanted to hire him," writes [[Alex Krainer]], who traced Browder's rise in detail in his book ''The Killing of William Browder''.

"For Browder, working for Maxwell was poison for his career. For a while, no other employer wanted to hire him," writes [[Alex Krainer]], who traced Browder's rise in detail in his book ''The Killing of William Browder''.

<center>{{Cquote|How many Bill Browers do we have inside our [[government]] right now<br> running things that would love to destroy [[Russia]], get in and [[rape]] it?|||[[Col. Douglas Macgregor]], September 16, 2026.<ref>[https://youtu.be/gNbHpt_KODU?t=924 Douglas Macgregor: Ukraine Endgame Is Here — West Will Fragment], [[Glenn Diesen]], Sep 16, 2026.</ref>}}</center>

<center>{{Cquote|How many Bill Browers do we have inside our [[government]] right now<br> running things that would love to destroy [[Russia]], get in and [[rape]] it?|||[[Col. Douglas Macgregor]], September 16, 2026.<ref>[https://youtu.be/gNbHpt_KODU?t=924 Douglas Macgregor: Ukraine Endgame Is Here — West Will Fragment], [[Glenn Diesen]], Sep 16, 2026.</ref>}}</center>

[[Economist]] [[Martin Armstrong]] recollected:

[[Economist]] [[Martin Armstrong]] recollected:

{{Quotebox-float|Back in in [19]99, I was asked to put in $10 Billion into Hermitage Capital, which was an operation set up by Bill Browder and Edmond Saffra. And it was to take over Russia. And I said, my computer said Russia's going to collapse. "Oh, no. Don't worry about it. We got the shoo in. We're going to put in a president [[Berezovsky]], and we'll control everything". I was told, put in $10 Billion, I'll get a $100 Billion back because they would take over Russia. All the [[gold]], [[oil]], [[diamond]]s, everything would go through the [[New York]] trading desks. And I said, "I'm sorry, my computer says you're going to fail." They didn't like that. But that was the attempt to interfere in the Russian 2000 election.  

{{Quotebox-float|Back in [19]99, I was asked to put in $10 Billion into Hermitage Capital, which was an operation set up by Bill Browder and Edmond Saffra. And it was to take over Russia. And I said, my computer said Russia's going to collapse. "Oh, no. Don't worry about it. We got the shoo in. We're going to put in a president [[Berezovsky]], and we'll control everything". I was told, put in $10 Billion, I'll get a $100 Billion back because they would take over Russia. All the [[gold]], [[oil]], [[diamond]]s, everything would go through the [[New York]] trading desks. And I said, "I'm sorry, my computer says you're going to fail." They didn't like that. But that was the attempt to interfere in the Russian 2000 election.  

They [[blackmail]]ed [[Yeltsin]], got him to steal $7 Billion from the [[IMF]] loans. The they got him to wire the money through Bank of New York to a fake company in [[Geneva]]. And as soon as that wire took place, Edmond Saffra, basically went to the

They [[blackmail]]ed [[Yeltsin]], got him to steal $7 Billion from the [[IMF]] loans. Then they got him to wire the money through Bank of New York to a fake company in [[Geneva]]. And as soon as that wire took place, Edmond Saffra, basically went to the

[[Department of Justice]] and say, "Oh, Bank of New York just did a [[money laundering]]." So then they threaten Yeltsin, "If you don't step down and put in Berezovsky, this is all going to come out that you stole $7 Billion dollars from the

[[Department of Justice]] and say, "Oh, Bank of New York just did a [[money laundering]]." So then they threaten Yeltsin, "If you don't step down and put in Berezovsky, this is all going to come out that you stole $7 Billion dollars from the

IMF.  

IMF.  

That's how [[Putin]] got in. Yeltsin turned to Putin. And that's why Putin had a like a 73% approval rating, because he wasn't a communist and he wasn't an [[oligarch]], like Berezovsky.  

That's how [[Putin]] got in. Yeltsin turned to Putin. And that's why Putin had a like a 73% approval rating, because he wasn't a communist and he wasn't an [[oligarch]], like Berezovsky.  

That's why [[Hillary]] started the whole [[Russiagate]]...it was basically what happened in 2000. I was in the middle of it, and I know what the facts were. And Berezovsky even tried to call me to get me to put in the $10 Billion....Whatever they attribute to Putin, they do themselves.<ref>https://youtu.be/Srzti_XA140?t=810</ref>}}

That's why [[Hillary]] started the whole [[Russiagate]]...it was basically what happened in 2000. I was in the middle of it, and I know what the facts were. And Berezovsky even tried to call me to get me to put in the $10 Billion.... Whatever they attribute to Putin, they do themselves.<ref>https://youtu.be/Srzti_XA140?t=810</ref>}}

[[US]] [[Col. Douglas Macgregor]] said of Browder:

[[US]] [[Col. Douglas Macgregor]] said of Browder:

{{Quotebox-float|You've got to know something about Bill Browder. You know, he comes from a long line of [[communist]]s. He was one of these people that loved the [[Soviet Union]]. But when the Soviet Union went into [[bankruptcy]] and declined, he decided to go over, like a lot of other people, and try to rape it, steal from it. He was on the verge of being arrested when [[Putin]] was president and thrown into jail. This is someone who has got an agenda that has nothing to do with the [[American]] people, or the [[United States]], or [[Europe]]. This is an anti-European. This is worse than the average [[globalist]]. This is somebody who would have been quite content to work in the [[NKVD]] and starve or murder millions of people. Browder is the last person I would consult with on anything to do with Russia. There's a whole class of people like Browder that many of whom were caught and executed, large numbers of whom unfortunately escaped [[justice]] in Russia. Anything this man says is poison. So, I would pay absolutely no attention to it.<ref>https://youtu.be/uBlXv8Rhz8E</ref>}}

{{Quotebox-float|You've got to know something about Bill Browder. You know, he comes from a long line of [[communist]]s. He was one of these people that loved the [[Soviet Union]]. But when the Soviet Union went into [[bankruptcy]] and declined, he decided to go over, like a lot of other people, and try to rape it, steal from it. He was on the verge of being arrested when [[Putin]] was president and thrown into jail. This is someone who has got an agenda that has nothing to do with the [[American]] people, or the [[United States]], or [[Europe]]. This is an anti-European. This is worse than the average [[globalist]]. This is somebody who would have been quite content to work in the [[NKVD]] and starve or murder millions of people. Browder is the last person I would consult with on anything to do with Russia. There's a whole class of people like Browder, many of whom were caught and executed, large numbers of whom unfortunately escaped [[justice]] in Russia. Anything this man says is poison. So, I would pay absolutely no attention to it.<ref>https://youtu.be/uBlXv8Rhz8E</ref>}}

Author [[Peter Hansler]] observed:

Author [[Peter Hansler]] observed:

{{quotebox-float|[[War]]s caused [[Russia]] to bleed, suffer, and grow weaker, but they never managed to herald its downfall. The events of 1917 and 1991 confirmed [[Clausewitz]]’s (paraphrased) statement that Russia cannot be defeated from the outside, but only destroyed from within. The attempts after 2000 to install figures such as [[Navalny]] or [[Khodorkovsky]] were trivial endeavors, as they failed from the outset due to their lack of standing in Russia. Ultimately, they resorted to using Bill Browder, a convicted [[tax]] [[fraud]]ster, to stir up sentiment against Russia—without the slightest success in Russia.<ref>[https://forumgeopolitica.com/article/is-the-us-shifting-course Is the U.S. Shifting Course?], Peter Hanseler, ''Forum Geopolitica'', 24 Oct 2026. forumgeopolitica.com</ref>}}

{{quotebox-float|[[War]]s caused [[Russia]] to bleed, suffer, and grow weaker, but they never managed to herald its downfall. The events of 1917 and 1991 confirmed [[Clausewitz]]’s (paraphrased) statement that Russia cannot be defeated from the outside, but only destroyed from within. The attempts after 2000 to install figures such as [[Navalny]] or [[Khodorkovsky]] were trivial endeavors, as they failed from the outset due to their lack of standing in Russia. Ultimately, they resorted to using Bill Browder, a convicted [[tax]] [[fraud]]ster, to stir up sentiment against Russia—without the slightest success in Russia.<ref>[https://forumgeopolitica.com/article/is-the-us-shifting-course Is the U.S. Shifting Course?], Peter Hanseler, ''Forum Geopolitica'', 24 Oct 2026. forumgeopolitica.com</ref>}}

A search warrant was executed on Hermitage in June 2007. Company seals and corporate certificates were gathered and taken into custody as evidence. In what appears to have been a complex financial scheme, these documents were used to transfer ownership of some Hermitage shell companies.

A search warrant was executed on Hermitage in June 2007. Company seals and corporate certificates were gathered and taken into custody as evidence. In what appears to have been a complex financial scheme, these documents were used to transfer ownership of some Hermitage shell companies.

Fraudulent lawsuits were then created demanding [[reparations]] for alleged contract violations, which in turn created fictitious losses for the subsidiaries. The subsidiaries then applied for a tax rebate from the Russian government. On December 24, 2007, Russian tax officials signed off on the rebate which amounted to a staggering $230 million. The loss was not to Hermitage, it was the Russian Treasury that saw the money siphoned off.

Fraudulent lawsuits were then created demanding [[reparations]] for alleged contract violations, which in turn created fictitious losses for the subsidiaries. The subsidiaries then applied for a tax rebate from the Russian government. On December 24, 2007, Russian tax officials signed off on the rebate which amounted to a staggering $230 million. The loss was not to Hermitage; it was the Russian Treasury that saw the money siphoned off.

One of those accused of being involved in the scheme was Sergei Magnitsky, a tax consultant and auditor who worked for Browder since 2002. Magnitsky was arrested in November 2008 in relation to the tax rebates.

One of those accused of being involved in the scheme was Sergei Magnitsky, a tax consultant and auditor who worked for Browder since 2002. Magnitsky was arrested in November 2008 in relation to the tax rebates.

Lucy Komisar states that  

Lucy Komisar states that  

{{quotebox-float|“Magnitsky did not uncover the December 2007 tax refund fraud that cheated the Russian Treasury of $230 million” and notes that “the three testimonies he gave before his November 2008 arrest did not reveal the fraud.”<ref>https://www.thekomisarscoop.com/2018/07/ive-been-browders-number-one-journalist-critic-for-two-decades-heres-what-president-trump-should-know-about-handling-him/</ref>}} Instead, Komisar's article notes that the  

{{quotebox-float|“Magnitsky did not uncover the December 2007 tax refund fraud that cheated the Russian Treasury of $230 million” and notes that “the three testimonies he gave before his November 2008 arrest did not reveal the fraud.”<ref>https://www.thekomisarscoop.com/2018/07/ive-been-browders-number-one-journalist-critic-for-two-decades-heres-what-president-trump-should-know-about-handling-him/</ref>}} Instead, Komisar's article notes that the  

{{quotebox-float|“first indication of the fraud was by the Russian, Rimma Starova, who worked for one of the implicated shell companies.”}} Starova's testimony was taken on April 9, 2008. In translated testimony Starova details the re-registration of three Hermitage shell companies and the creation of fictitious losses that led to the fraudulent tax rebates. No individuals are specified as being responsible, but critical to note is the date of her testimony—April 2008.

{{quotebox-float|“first indication of the fraud was by the Russian, Rimma Starova, who worked for one of the implicated shell companies.”}}. Starova's testimony was taken on April 9, 2008. In translated testimony Starova details the re-registration of three Hermitage shell companies and the creation of fictitious losses that led to the fraudulent tax rebates. No individuals are specified as being responsible, but critical to note is the date of her testimony—April 2008.

Sergei Magnitsky would not be arrested for another seven months. It appears that at no point prior to his arrest had Magnitsky detailed or alleged fraud. In and of itself, this raises serious question over the entire series of events.

Sergei Magnitsky would not be arrested for another seven months. It appears that at no point prior to his arrest had Magnitsky detailed or alleged fraud. In and of itself, this raises serious questions over the entire series of events.

Magnitsky was arrested for tax fraud and died on the 356th day of a 365-day prison sentence. Details involving Magnitsky's role and subsequent death remain uncertain, despite the many media reports.<ref>[https://www.spiegel.de/international/world/the-case-of-sergei-magnitsky-anti-corruption-champion-or-corrupt-anti-hero-a-1297796.html Questions Cloud Story Behind U.S. Sanctions: The story of Sergei Magnitsky has come to symbolize the brutal persecution of whistleblowers in Russia. Ten years after his death, inconsistencies in Magnitsky's story suggest he may not have been the hero many people -- and Western governments -- believed him to be],Von Benjamin Bidder,26.11.2019. www.spiegel.de</ref> As we have seen, the story surrounding actual events appears to be far more convoluted than Browder has led the public—or Congress—to believe. Hermitage was already under investigation for fraud years before Magnitsky's arrest, and Browder's 2015 deposition makes clear some significant differences from his public description of events.<ref>https://100r.org/media/2017/10/Browder-Deposition-April-15-2015.pdf</ref>

Magnitsky was arrested for tax fraud and died on the 356th day of a 365-day prison sentence. Details involving Magnitsky's role and subsequent death remain uncertain, despite the many media reports.<ref>[https://www.spiegel.de/international/world/the-case-of-sergei-magnitsky-anti-corruption-champion-or-corrupt-anti-hero-a-1297796.html Questions Cloud Story Behind U.S. Sanctions: The story of Sergei Magnitsky has come to symbolize the brutal persecution of whistleblowers in Russia. Ten years after his death, inconsistencies in Magnitsky's story suggest he may not have been the hero many people -- and Western governments -- believed him to be],Von Benjamin Bidder,26.11.2019. www.spiegel.de</ref> As we have seen, the story surrounding actual events appears to be far more convoluted than Browder has led the public—or Congress—to believe. Hermitage was already under investigation for fraud years before Magnitsky's arrest, and Browder's 2015 deposition makes clear some significant differences from his public description of events.<ref>https://100r.org/media/2017/10/Browder-Deposition-April-15-2015.pdf</ref>

Denis Katsyv hired Natalia Veselnitskaya to represent Prevezon Holdings in an [[asset forfeiture]] case in the [[United States]] over a [[Manhattan]] building Browder won in U.S. courts. Once in the U.S., Veselnitskaya hired the law firm of [[BakerHostetler]] who hired [[Glenn Simpson]], a professional smear campaigner, and his firm [[FusionGPS]] to refute Browder's claims about Sergei Magnitsky, and to lobby for repeal or revisions of the Magnitsky Act.

Denis Katsyv hired Natalia Veselnitskaya to represent Prevezon Holdings in an [[asset forfeiture]] case in the [[United States]] over a [[Manhattan]] building Browder won in U.S. courts. Once in the U.S., Veselnitskaya hired the law firm of [[BakerHostetler]] who hired [[Glenn Simpson]], a professional smear campaigner, and his firm [[FusionGPS]] to refute Browder's claims about Sergei Magnitsky, and to lobby for repeal or revisions of the Magnitsky Act.

Veselnitsksya was allowed entrance into the United States on the approval of [[Loretta Lynch]] to settle the Prevezon [[asset forfeiture]] case.<ref>Browder later testified that [[Glenn Simpson]] and FusionGPS worked for the [[Putin]] regime to discredit him and as unregistered foreign agents of the Russian government for repeal of Russian sanctions.<br>Simultaneously, FusionGPS, Simpson, and Veselnitskaya were working for [[Hillary Clinton]] and the [[DNC]] to frame [[Donald Trump Jr.]], [[Jared Kushner]], and [[Paul Manafort]] as agents of the Russian government. FusionGPS executed a reverse sting operation in hopes of "dirting up" Trump associates.</ref> Veselnitskaya overstayed her [[visa]], and engaged in unregistered [[lobbying]] with FusionGPS against the [[Magnitsky Act|Russia sanctions bill]]. Veselnitskaya was used by Simpson in a [[counterintelligence]] sting operation intended to entrap Donald Trump Jr. and other Trump associates in the [[Trump-Russia collusion hoax]].<ref>https://www.politico.com/amp/story/2018/04/23/natalia-veselnitskaya-mueller-investigation-545588</ref><ref>[[ABC News]] reported the [[Jimmy the Weasel]] summoned "the President's sons, Don Jr. and Eric, for an emergency session with the bureau’s cybersecurity agents and representatives of the [[CIA]]." https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/fbi-probing-attempted-hack-trump-organization-officials/story?id=47652150 Comey was fired the next day. Veselnitskaya has never been contacted by the [[Mueller team]] to investigate Russian interference in the [[2016 presidential election|2016 election]].</ref>

Veselnitskaya was allowed entrance into the United States on the approval of [[Loretta Lynch]] to settle the Prevezon [[asset forfeiture]] case.<ref>Browder later testified that [[Glenn Simpson]] and FusionGPS worked for the [[Putin]] regime to discredit him and as unregistered foreign agents of the Russian government for repeal of Russian sanctions.<br>Simultaneously, FusionGPS, Simpson, and Veselnitskaya were working for [[Hillary Clinton]] and the [[DNC]] to frame [[Donald Trump Jr.]], [[Jared Kushner]], and [[Paul Manafort]] as agents of the Russian government. FusionGPS executed a reverse sting operation in hopes of "dirting up" Trump associates.</ref> Veselnitskaya overstayed her [[visa]], and engaged in unregistered [[lobbying]] with FusionGPS against the [[Magnitsky Act|Russia sanctions bill]]. Veselnitskaya was used by Simpson in a [[counterintelligence]] sting operation intended to entrap Donald Trump Jr. and other Trump associates in the [[Trump-Russia collusion hoax]].<ref>https://www.politico.com/amp/story/2018/04/23/natalia-veselnitskaya-mueller-investigation-545588</ref><ref>[[ABC News]] reported the [[Jimmy the Weasel]] summoned "the President's sons, Don Jr. and Eric, for an emergency session with the bureau’s cybersecurity agents and representatives of the [[CIA]]." https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/fbi-probing-attempted-hack-trump-organization-officials/story?id=47652150 Comey was fired the next day. Veselnitskaya has never been contacted by the [[Mueller team]] to investigate Russian interference in the [[2016 presidential election|2016 election]].</ref>

==Magnitsky Act==

==Magnitsky Act==

Browder cheered the arrest of Khodorkovsky and maintained support for Putin through 2006, hoping that Putin might eventually lift Browder's visa ban and allow him to return to Russia.

Browder cheered the arrest of Khodorkovsky and maintained support for Putin through 2006, hoping that Putin might eventually lift Browder's visa ban and allow him to return to Russia.

The relationship changed in 2010 or 2011 as both men began to lobby for the Magnitsky Act. Their relationship appears to have continued. In November 2016 the two men appeared together to testify on the [[UK]]’s relationship with Russia before the House of Commons. Browder continues to bring up Khodorkovsky in interviews. and he specifically noted Khodorkovsky's story during testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The relationship changed in 2010 or 2011 as both men began to lobby for the Magnitsky Act. Their relationship appears to have continued. In November 2016 the two men appeared together to testify on the [[UK]]’s relationship with Russia before the House of Commons. Browder continues to bring up Khodorkovsky in interviews, and he specifically noted Khodorkovsky's story during testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

In 2015 Khodorkovsky was indicted for the contract murder of Nefteyugansk mayor Vladimir Petukhov.<ref>{{cite news|date=23 December 2015|title=Russian court orders arrest of Mikhail Khodorkovsky over contract killing|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-khodorkovsky-arrest-idUSKBN0U60PO20151223|work=Reuters|access-date=}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=30 June 2015|title=Russia reopens 1998 murder probe; Putin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky is a suspect|url=https://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-russia-khodorkovsky-murder-suspect-20150630-story.html|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|access-date=}}</ref><ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/russia-khodorkovsky-arrest-idINKBN0U60PU20151223</ref>

In 2015 Khodorkovsky was indicted for the contract murder of Nefteyugansk mayor Vladimir Petukhov.<ref>{{cite news|date=23 December 2015|title=Russian court orders arrest of Mikhail Khodorkovsky over contract killing|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-khodorkovsky-arrest-idUSKBN0U60PO20151223|work=Reuters|access-date=}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=30 June 2015|title=Russia reopens 1998 murder probe; Putin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky is a suspect|url=https://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-russia-khodorkovsky-murder-suspect-20150630-story.html|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|access-date=}}</ref><ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/russia-khodorkovsky-arrest-idINKBN0U60PU20151223</ref>