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The man Russia wants dead: Bill Browder warns of Russian interference in the UK | A 5 News Podcast

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Episode notes

Bill Browder is an American-born British financier who in the 90s was one of the largest foreign portfolio investors in Russia during a period of mass privatisation after the fall of the Soviet Union - he says the change from communism to capitalism was ruled by "the law of the jungle". After a decade of business deals in Russia, Bill Browder was blacklisted by the Russian government as a "threat to national security" and denied entry to the country. He says this came because he had exposed corruption and corporate malfeasance in partly state-owned companies. It put him on the wrong side of oligarchs and Vladimir Putin. His offices were raided and those of his lawyers. Browder's friend and auditor Sergei Magnitsky was arrested and died in prison - where he logged reports of abuse and even torture. The European Court for Human Rights ruled that Magnitsky was detained in conditions that amounted to "inhuman and degrading treatment" which combined with negligence, lack of adequate medical care and ill-treatment led to his death. As a result of the controversy surrounding Sergei Magnitsky's death, the Magnitsky Act was signed into law by President Barack Obama, which allows a government to sanction those who it sees as human rights offenders, freeze their assets, and ban them from entering the country. Bill Browder speaks to Andy Bell about his experience with the Russian State and what he thinks the recent intelligence and security committee revealed in its 'Russia Report', warning about Russia's interference with UK politics. How did we get here? Explaining the news is a podcast from 5 News. Join Andy Bell as he explains the world's biggest news stories through interviews with politicians, experts, and analysts.