The Russian government, under Putin, is a criminal organization, completely at one with organized crime. Tracing the money trail of the crime that Magnitsky exposed and for which he was murdered, Bill Browder’s team and other investigators not only linked Putin to the proceeds of the stolen money but uncovered other crimes. The scale of criminality and money laundering is staggering, and a small Russian elite benefits. Money is stolen via fraud, and then the dirty Russian money is laundered through transit countries and invested in the West, where corrupt officials and criminals spend excessive money on luxuries. As in any criminal organization, the Russian officials will do anything to protect their wealth, including murder. Given the power of the state, those threatening this wealth can be imprisoned, and crimes are easily covered up.

Because Browder had no tolerance for the fraudulent practices of Russian businesses and exposed them in the international media, Putin expelled him from Russia in 2005. Later, Browder’s hedge fund’s offices and those of his attorney were raided. Taking the company’s seals and certificates, the Russian authorities stole the hedge fund’s companies and used them to fraudulently obtain a $230 million tax refund.