Fraudster Lies to Congress About Russia

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)

Hedge fund manager Bill Browder once ran one of the largest investment firms in Russia.

His Hermitage Capital Management Fund was forced to cease operations in the country because of judicial action against him in London, along with legal proceedings, convicting in absentia of massive tax evasion in Moscow.

After operating in the country since 2006, Russian authorities blacklisted him last year as a "threat to national security."

Initially a Putin supporter, he turned hostile over what happened, becoming a strong critic, spreading disinformation and Big Lies about the country and its leader.

In media and other public appearances, he relentlessly calls for tough sanctions on Russia, claiming the Kremlin wants to kill him, a fabricated accusation like all others about Russia.

He's a unlikely figure in witch-hunt investigations into nonexistent Russian US election hacking.

In prepared testimony last week before Senate Judiciary Committee members, he lied claiming Putin extorted large sums from Russian oligarchs, becoming "the richest man in the world" worth around "$200 billion (from) ill-gotten gains," a fabricated charge, wanting revenge for revelations about his own criminal activities.

Browder: "There are approximately 10,000 officials in Russia working for Putin who are given instructions to kill, torture, kidnap, extort money from people and seize their property."

"(Putin) keeps his money in the West and all of his money…is potentially exposed to asset freezes and confiscation."

Fact: Browder presented no evidence backing his claims. None exists, his accusations as baseless as "Russian aggression" and US election hacking.

Claiming he's campaigning for justice and exposure of corruption conceals his real agenda, serving his own interests by irresponsibly spreading disinformation and Big Lies about Russia and Putin.

"I've received many death threats from Russia," he blustered, claiming the "most notable one came from Prime Minster Dmitry Medvedev.

Russia wants him held accountable for involvement in massive tax fraud. 

He's a fraudster like numerous Wall Street operatives, protected by US authorities because of his vocal Russia bashing, serving as a reliable imperial agent.

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