Russia opens criminal investigation into Putin foe Bill Browder

Russia announced Monday it has launched a criminal investigation into William Browder, the British financier who fought to expose corruption within the Russian government.

According to Russia's state-owned news outlet TASS, Russia says Browder is responsible for the death of four men. One of the men is his former accountant, Sergei Magnitsky, who died in a Russian prison. "On November 16, an order was issued on launching a criminal case against Browder over the signs of establishing a criminal network and being its leader, this means the signs of a crime under Part 1 of Article 210 of the Russian Criminal Code," a spokesman for Russia's Prosecutor-General Office said Monday. Browder ran Hermitage Capital investment fund in Russia. His accountant, Magnitsky, accused Russia of using Hermitage to carry out tax fraud. Magnitsky died in prison amid suspicious circumstances, and as a result, Browder called on the U.S. to impose sanctions against Russia. The so-called Magnitsky sanctions are in effect today. Browder on Monday said the accusations are Russian President Vladimir Putin's latest "fever dream."

Putin’s ‘fever dream’ response to being caught poisoning the Skripals is accusing me of four murders, including poisoning of Sergei Magnitsky https://t.co/aYe5ag7F3V — Bill Browder (@Billbrowder) November 19, 2018

Browder has battled Russia for more than 10 years, and has pushed for other countries to impose sanctions against Russia for its human rights abuses. In May, Browder was detained in Spain for a short time based on what he said was a phony arrest warrant issued by Russia. Browder accused Russia of harassing him with those sorts of tactics.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/russia-opens-criminal-investigation-into-putin-foe-bill-browder