About stealing

[Магнолия]

Theft permeates every facet of our lives from state to private, and the fight against it has become an indicator of the state of Russia . Needed for the treatment of diagnosis that is installed on the manifestations . We begin with a description of the brightest observed world.

Interview with William Browder , head of the investment fund Hermitage Capital

William Browder :
In Russia there is no state
Masha Gessen :
As all of these tragic heroes , William Browder has created all the prerequisites for its own collapse. Now he decided to devote his life to the struggle against the enemies who were once his friends. The head of the investment fund Hermitage Capital, has made billions in investments in Russia , the past six years it has no right to enter the country. Name Hermitage lawyer Sergei Magnitsky , who died in a Moscow prison , the efforts Browder became known throughout the world. The European Parliament voted in favor of sanctions against anyone who was involved in the prosecution lawyer, and Swiss bank accounts arrested them . In response, Russian prosecutors announced Browder wanted. Both sides are obviously going to go to the end .

Photo : Nick Ballon

Let's start from the beginning. I'll start at a distance. I'm American , but I have a little bit unusual fate . My grandfather was a union activist , who in 1927 was invited to Russia . He arrived in Moscow, where he met with my grandmother. My father was born in Moscow.
And he was named Felix.
Yes. My grandmother was an intellectual Russian . They went to America five years later , and in 1932 his grandfather became general secretary of the Communist Party USA . And remained so until 1945 , when he drove to the scandal , because it is not sufficiently supported Stalin . Many of his colleagues in Eastern Europe was killed. But soon he got into a millstone " McCarthyism " - he spent most of the fifties, in testimony to Congress , the Commission on Un-American Activities . My father was just finishing graduate school at Princeton, he was a mathematician - and because of his name could not find work in any American university. He was taken to the army , but when it found out that he was the son of a communist predict unimportant job: he worked at a gas station tanker at a military base in North Carolina. In the end, everything calmed down , my family was rehabilitated , my father was a major mathematician. I was born in 1964. As a teenager , as befits a descendant of the Communists decided to wear a business suit and become a capitalist. In 1989 , I graduated from business school. That was the year the Berlin Wall fell . And I decided that since my grandfather was a communist in America , I 'm a capitalist in Eastern Europe. In the same year I moved to London.
Why London ?
Because the business plan of London in relation to Eastern Europe - as Hong Kong to China. I began to do business in Eastern Europe. I am very interested in the voucher privatization in Russia , because in order to participate in it , it was not necessary to have any special ties. Buy vouchers me on shares , and these shares are worth much less than the shares of companies comparable in any other country . I eventually started his own investment fund , Hermitage Capital, and in 1996 he moved to Moscow . In Russia, everything then was underestimated . Investors were very afraid of Russia , they did not have enough information. As a result , buying a fund , it became very rapidly in price.

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How much you bought ?
The initial size of the fund was twenty-five million dollars. And these investments increased by hundreds of percent . When you have such an increase occurs , your investors are starting to talk about you to their friends. Over time we have become the third-largest investment fund in Russia . At the peak of the volume of our investments was equal to four and a half billion dollars.
This is when ?
In 2005. The problem was that , even though we owned shares in companies , more than anything we did not belong . I realized this immediately, but in the year 1998.
What does this mean ?
If you belong to one percent of the U.S. or any of the French company , then you put a percentage of the profits , you own one percent of assets - that is your economic interest in the company. But in Russia, one percent of the shares - a record in the register of shareholders. And all the profits and assets are generally controlled by other people using some corrupt scheme .
In other words , the stock was worth buying to resell and keep there was no point .
What companies it happened - one of those in which you bought the stock ?
In the " Gazprom" , for example, RAO UES , a few oil companies. We decided to deal with it . I almost did not speak in Russian , and political ties me there were not any . I mean I was a nobody . But I had a clever Russian officers . And these smart analysts set a goal - to understand how to organize corporate theft , that is, who steal money from shareholders and in what way . You know , they say that Russia opaque , and it's true. But Russia is five times more bureaucratic than any European country . There are countless forms of accountability, which are collected by various ministries . They just needed to learn to read.
That is, if you are at your disposal enough lawyers ...
Optionally, even lawyers. If you have a smart, persistent , able to think logically analysts , ready to dig in the securities of the ministries and the Registrar of Companies , is a lot to learn . We started the so-called investigative audits. More precisely, we called it " analytics of corporate fraud ." It was found that theft is concentrated in the hands of a small group of people. It is also said that Russia - a very corrupt country . But all the threads of corruption in the hands of a handful of people. A majority did not fall to .
So who belong to this small group ?
In the case of " Gazprom" - nine top managers of the company.
This is what year ?
Analysis of "Gazprom" we held in 1999. We also studied the Savings Bank, where the new shares were placed by private subscription at a low price that it was not profitable for either the bank or to other shareholders. In " Surgutneftegaz " there were some crazy scheme of share ownership , allowing management to remain on the ground indefinitely without having owned any securities or almost no . The information we gave to reporters. We were lucky in Moscow then had a huge number of foreign journalists are very interested in the results of our analysis we have done for the lion's share of the work , and all this can be rechecked. So we were able to influence the company. The information we have collected by "Gazprom" , hit the New York Times, Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek. When it appeared in the international press , the Russian press also began to write about it . And it already had consequences. And I must say that we really were dispersed at precisely the time when Putin came to power . But he became President of the presidential administration , not the president of Russia .
In what sense ?
He had tens of thousands of employees in check. But the governors ruled their regions as independent states. The oligarchs have paid money to the ministers and deputies , and considered them his subordinates. Press existed to influence business and politics , not objective reporting . As a result, Putin , and before him - Yeltsin had no power to be at the head of a sovereign state. I never met with Putin , but I think that we had common interests : the people who stole the money from the companies were taken away his power . And he's a very positive reaction to our attempts to draw attention to the theft.
What has this positive reaction ?
For example, we called Alexander Voloshin , who was then the head of the presidential administration, and invited to make a presentation of what we have unearthed about RAO UES , which at the time was the plan for next to nothing to sell all of the assets . We all talked , and soon the government agreed to enter into negotiations on the restructuring of the company with minority shareholders. I think we saved the company for all its shareholders, among which was the state. When we talked about what is happening in "Gazprom" , removed Vyakhirev , which was responsible for the disappearance of ten percent of assets. It seemed to me that Russia is moving in the right direction.
But deregulation Vyakhirev is hardly punishment .
Of course . But we have something , it was important not to plant Vyahirev and stop corruption in "Gazprom" .
And she stopped ?
In the period from 1996 to 1999 with a balance of "Gazprom" disappeared assets equal total assets of U.S. company Exxon (Exxon Neftegaz Limited, a subsidiary of the world's largest non-state oil and gas company Exxon Mobile Corporation -. Prim Ed ..) . They were under the control of the nine members of the company management. In 1999, Miller came , he promised that the assets will no longer leave the company.
That is not stealing profit , namely the property .
And it bothered us the most. Because if you steal profit , although it would be in the next year we can get . And in "Gazprom" plundered property of the company . As a result of undervalued shares was equal to 99.7 per cent. After removing Vyahirev stock price has doubled , and then - in half again . Ultimately, - in one time . This does not mean that stealing completely ceased or that the shares are worth as much as need . Say undervalued reduced from ninety to ninety- nine percent .
And now who steals ?
The current leadership . But not the property , but only profit.
And this is better .
And it's better. Instead of stealing mine, they say , they sell gas to Ukraine and take your piece of profits. Or build a pipeline and spend it in three , or five , or ten times more than it should be - it recoils . So, we have this same operation on opening mechanisms theft repeated with "Gazprom" , with Sberbank , with RAO UES and so on. And, in general , once we have achieved some success , the stock price increases. Between 1999 and 2003, we have many things turned out, because our interests are clearly aligned with those of the Putin regime . So at the time I had the best job in the world . I earned a lot , and at the same time I felt I was doing the story , changing Russia for the better. And every time our campaign against any of the villains ended with some even a little success, we all shouted "hurray" , and team spirit in our company was so , what does not happen , because the few who can make money at the same time and do good. Unfortunately, this golden period of my career is over - and I did not notice it was gone , - in October 2003 when Khodorkovsky was arrested . He was one of those with whom we fought , and it seemed to me that this is another step to solving the problem of corruption.

Photo : Nick Ballon

Did Yukos does not then become exemplary company in terms of transparency , corporate governance ?
Has become. But in 1999, when the fund was one of the major shareholders of Yukos, had fallen off their shares of Yukos and the leadership fell to 99.5 percent, because they were doing the same as everyone else.
And then what happened ?
And then they were corrected , purified , but it seemed to me that for all the pain they have caused us , in the two years that we struggled with them , they still have to pay - in short , I was still angry . So I was glad to arrest Khodorkovsky , and I did not realize that at this moment Russia irrevocably changed.
How ?
Immediately after the arrest of Khodorkovsky we were discussing how much he will stay in prison : a week or two . Because everyone knows that the Russian money can buy everything. So if the richest man in Russia was arrested , the only question is how much he will have to pay for their release. A week passed . Two weeks . We thought he did not calculate the amount of foreclosures. Month, two months . And then the rich people in Russia think about the fact that so any problem can be solved with money. Finally, all became clear in the summer of 2004, when the trial of Khodorkovsky and the courtroom cameras allowed . But in a Russian court no presumption of innocence - the accused are put in a cage, like an animal . And when the camera is removed , the richest man in Russia in the cage , it's a message to all the rest of the rich : "You , too, can be in a cage ." I think many oligarchs were sitting in that summer on his yacht moored somewhere in Antibes , watched CNN and felt that the world was falling apart .
But you still think that it is good ?
I was antioligarhom , and I was waiting for who will be next . I thought it was true justice . And actually , I think all of these oligarchs , one after another went to the president and agreed on how they behave now , so , too, do not be in a cage. Because of Putin's enemies they became partners. And I continued to live in the ideal world , to think that Putin is Russia doing better , makes her a normal country . And he just crushes under the oligarchs themselves to become the main oligarch .
And when you understand this ?
I was idealistic and naive. I continued with their anti-corruption campaigns. In 2004, we published an exposé material on "Gazprom" - is not about the disposal of assets, and of theft , relating to the construction and sales. We have filed a lawsuit against the "Surgutneftegaz" to make clear the structure of share ownership . "Transneft" did not pay dividends , and with them we are also struggling. At this point, I have lived in Russia for almost ten years, I have created the largest investment company with foreign capital. I flew from London to Moscow November 13, 2005 , on Sunday evening. I arrived in the VIP- lounge in the airport Sheremetyevo -2 . The process that is in the VIP- zone had to take five minutes - a stamp in your passport , you go out - stretched unusually long. An hour passed , a passport is not given away. I asked my driver to come to passport control . There began some shouting and then suddenly a few men in uniform went to the VIP- lounge , said that the country will not let me , and took me to the store , where I spent the next fifteen hours.
What were the conditions there ?
Nothing special . Uncomfortable plastic chair. The main difference is that the VIP- zone make tea and treat you well, and in this sump treat you like a criminal . What will happen to me , nobody told me . Just ten minutes before the scheduled departure of "Aeroflot" in London at eleven o'clock they came for me , taken and put on a plane . I was sure it was a mistake . I tried so hard for Russia . I was sure that my work is appreciated against corruption authority. I was constantly called on ministers and asked to give them a copy of my presentation format PowerPoint.
Well , you've reached the ministers ?
I flew to London and called everyone I know. Gref , Kudrin , Shuvalov Vyugin ( German Gref - at that time the Minister of Economic Development and Trade of the Russian Federation , is currently Chairman of the Board of Sberbank , Alexei Kudrin - Finance Minister Igor Shuvalov - First Deputy Prime Minister Oleg Viyugin - up to 2007 head Federal Service for financial Markets , now chairman of the board of Directors of MDM Bank - ... ed Note ) . They all said they did not know .
you believe them ?
I think they really do not know. I think the decision was made by someone very high up , and with the FSB.
What ?
Direct perpetrator of solutions was a man named Viktor Voronin (Major General Viktor Voronin, deputy head of the Federal Security Service for Combating Economic Crimes - Prim ... Ed .) I am a British citizen . British ambassador sent a letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia with the question , why am I not allowed . Came the reply that I refused entry on the basis of Article 27 of the federal law on entry and exit . This article allows you to refuse entry on grounds of national security.
And why , by the way , you are a British citizen ?
I came here in 1989 , married , friendly environment . This is my home for twenty- two years. So I became a citizen .
But the American did not refuse ?
Refused, we had to choose . In general , Jack Straw, the then foreign minister , became a regular mention about my case in conversations with Sergey Lavrov. Lavrov every time he pretended that he did not know what was happening.

Photo : Nick Ballon

You do not believe him ?
Of course not.
Why ?
I think after the first mention of it would impose reference. The British foreign minister three times asking him why the man refused a visa , and he always says he does not know - it means he 's lying. And I did not want to share the fate of Khodorkovsky - either business or personal . So I did two things : people and secured the capital. First, I asked all of its employees to move to the UK.
This is how many people ?
About twenty employees with families.
This was a small company ?
A little , yes. Second, the fund sold shares in Russian companies or transferred them to other financial instruments. This was done quietly, without attracting attention .
How can you sell such number of shares , without drawing attention to themselves ?
Sale of shares - this is not a sale of the company. If the fund belonged to one percent of the company, and highly liquid stocks , you can sell them on different days, through different brokers . So we eliminated the attachment of four and a half billion dollars for the summer of 2006 , and no one noticed .
And what do you say to your investors ?
The Fund returned them money. When I got kicked out of Russia , many of them have lost the desire to invest there . So we started a new business, began to invest in other countries , and I thought that this chapter of my life , connected with Russia , interesting and scary to be over. If it was true , it would have remained a fascinating history.
slightly heartbreaking .
Heartbreaking , yes, but just a story. But what happened next will haunt me for the rest of life . January 27, 2007 I was at the World Economic Forum in Davos. There was the so-called Russian dinner hosted by Russia are not , and the World Economic Forum , that's why I was invited . Dmitry Medvedev was present , then he was the first deputy prime minister, but methyl successor . He said some empty speech, everyone moved to the dessert , and he was sitting alone , also ate dessert. And I thought, but now I will go up to him and ask to restore my visa. I walked over , and just at the moment when I began to speak , all present suddenly realized that there is an opportunity to talk with the future president of Russia . And many povstavali from their seats and surrounded us . Including several journalists . Just when they were all caught up , I got to the bottom of his conversion , that is, to restore the visa request . I do not know what he was thinking at that moment , but he has , I think , very politically correct solution , namely , being surrounded by Western journalists , and having in front of him causing the sympathy of Western man , who asks him to return the visa, correct to say : "I do what I can . " This he said. He asked me to give him a copy of my application for a visa and promised to bring it to its own positive recommendation.
He knew who you are ?
He knew who I was, because he was a member of the Board of Directors of "Gazprom ", when we were engaged in "Gazprom" , and in 2005 , we met in person. So, in response to the statement I received no visa, and a phone call from Lieutenant Colonel Artem Kuznetsov of the Moscow tax police. He called my deputy , and said : that I understand , Mr. Browder would like to get a visa, I have to write a memo on the subject, and I propose to meet in an informal setting to discuss what I write. From 1996 to 2005 in Russia , we have successfully avoided this kind of requests : we just have never met in any informal setting with any police officers to avoid any ambiguous situations. I can honestly say that I never gave a bribe . Even in the car, even when I stopped .

Photo : Nick Ballon

How do you manage ?
We few noticed because we existed in the ether, in the financial markets , where we almost did not come across with the authorities. A driver I have worked a former police officer , so when we stopped , he showed his papers and he saluted . So I had a penny did not give bribes . And it's a great policy: if you do not give bribes from them and you do not wait. In such situations, you just have to give up the meeting . We replied that we are ready to respond to official inquiries. In ninety -nine cases out of a hundred such a reaction is triggered , and the story ends here. But this was the case when the story is not over . June 4, 2007 is the same Artem Kuznetsov and another twenty-five tax police conducted a search in our Moscow office. And then the same search in the office of our lawyers , Firestone Duncan.
Why do you have remained an office in Moscow, if you have taken out all the employees ?
The office was paid for a couple of years ahead , and I have remained a faint hope of return.
There was nobody there ?
There was a secretary and one man , who had come from London. But there was nothing, only the old paper. But in the office of our lawyers they have found what they were interested in : documents showing that we had three companies that have held shares , that is, through which we have invested large sums of money. Assets of these companies have no choice , but the companies have not been eliminated : the fact that in Russia to close the company, which ceased operations without going bankrupt in the conduct of audits , it is easier to wait and for three years to take statements showing that there is no activity, the company does not perform . Therefore, these documents were kept by the company and our lawyers . Police searched print license statutes of those companies. One of the young lawyers in the Firestone Duncan looked warrant and said, " You have no warrant for this company , you have no right to take it all ." He was taken in the meeting room and severely beaten.
What's his name ?
(Called a lawyer - MG ) . Please do not mention his name in the article: it is still in Moscow. And he was very scared. In general, they took all the documents , and we are scared because they do not understand what it all means. The following event took place four months later : in our Moscow office received a call from the St. Petersburg Arbitration Court to announce that our company against judgments handed down by a few hundred million dollars. How is it? We have not even been summoned to court. We called the best, in our opinion, a lawyer in Moscow , a man by the name of Sergei Magnitsky , and asked him to find out what 's going on. We called and the other lawyers - only seven people from four different law firms have to investigate this matter. Soon made ​​contact Sergey and said that there was something incredible . According to the documents , which he found in the registration office , our company we do not belong. How is it? He said that they are now transferred to the balance of some of the company under the name " Pluto ", registered in Tatarstan. What sort of " Pluto " ? And he says, " Pluto " by a man named Victor Markelov . Who is Victor Markelov ? He says: I also asked this question and found out that Victor Markelov was convicted of murder and was released after a year and a half . And as he became the owner of our company ? Sergei explained, this requires printing and statutes . That is what is seized from the office of our lawyers . Sergei says further - worse. Documents used over and over in order to forge a series of agreements by which it appears that your company owed ​​a billion dollars in some other three shell company . These fakes Efforts various documents seized from our office - it's easy to trace , because even repeated errors that were in our documents . And then what? Sergei says, on the basis of these agreements on behalf of shell companies to court to have been filed writs of our companies . But the most interesting thing is that in the court on behalf of our stolen companies came to us three strangers lawyer to defend not, and immediately recognized the debt for a billion dollars on false contracts.
Why is this happening in the court of St. Petersburg , not Moscow ?
The courts were in St. Petersburg and in Moscow and Kazan. It is the courts , where they were due . Formally, they turned to the courts at the place of registration of companies that filed claims in court . If it were up to par in a normal court of the judicial system , the judge would try to figure out if lawyers immediately recognize the debt, then why do they come to court? That is, it is clear that the judge took into consideration that these cases and take a decision thereon within five minutes were initially involved in the whole scheme. At the same time, the Kuznetsov went to the banks, where we had a bill in search of money .
How do you know ?
We started calling out the banks : " We've got Kuznetsov, his formal request for the hands ." Thank God , we are all eliminated - otherwise they would have just stolen from us a billion dollars. So we were calm . That is a terrible story , incredible cynicism , it's pretty scary, but the money they have not got. But Sergei - I just have to tell you the truth that Sergei was smarter than everyone else in Moscow. His brain worked ten times faster. Sergei said, "I do not know what 's going on , but I can definitely tell you that this is not the end ." He continued investigation. That is, he sent out requests to all official agencies , in which the company could somehow be noted . In most cases, the request went unanswered , or we get a meaningless answer. But it was a conspiracy of such magnitude that the villains just could not talk to each person who was somehow involved , and everyone shut up . So one day Sergey received a reply from the tax authorities in Khimki - there just is not anyone warned that we can not answer. The response was the information that we have stolen some reason, the company opened new accounts in two banks : Universal Savings Bank and " INTERCOMMERZ ." We have never heard of such banks. Why ? Yes, because it was one of the smallest banks in Russia . Total capitalization is equal to Universal million dollars. All banks have the information in the database of the Central Bank , and this information is publicly available . From the website of the Central Bank Sergei received the following information : As soon as these accounts were opened at the Universal Bank , the amount of its assets jumped from one million to two hundred million dollars - per day . The exact figure something reminiscent of Sergei - it was the amount of taxes paid by the three companies stolen : two hundred thirty million dollars. It was only then we realized that the sense of the whole scheme is to steal the taxes paid by us . Then we have to recalculate the amount by which lawsuits were filed in Moscow , St. Petersburg and Kazan : the total amount was exactly equal to the total profit of the three companies in the previous year. Simply put, in 2006, our company made ​​a billion dollars and paid two hundred thirty million of taxes. And criminals have turned to tax , informed them that the previous owners have made a mistake - in fact, the company earned nothing . So that taxes should be returned . They applied for a refund December 23, 2007 . It was the largest tax refund in Russian history - and the money was returned the next day! While the month before that, we have already managed to write a complaint in all instances and the fact that these companies have been stolen , and that someone had fabricated judgments to collect from them a billion dollars that were used to justify the return taxes.
In the complaint had any answers ?
We wrote six complaints . At five there was no reaction , in fact they were sent for review by Kuznetsov and Karpov , who did not find here the offense . And one by one all the same complaint two months after its submission and in a month after the money had been stolen , was prosecuted , but the investigation was launched on the local level is the lowest of the Investigation Committee. A couple of people called to the conversation on this matter was over. A tax offense we discovered in July 2008 . It was incredible. And discovered that, of course, solely due to the genius of Magnitsky . And Sergei said: "It could not possibly be approved at the highest level. When you foreigners were driven out of here , so it could be approved by Putin and his colleagues , this is a common thing at all . But the theft of a quarter billion from the Treasury - is quite another thing , it's kind of initiative . " It is necessary to draw attention to it . We sent fifteen different complaints. We thought all of them would be arrested , imagine the raid using helicopters.
Why ? You had already three years directly faced with the constant lies on the part of Russian officials.
Well, how can the President afford to have stolen two hundred thirty million from the Treasury ? It's not our money , it's their money. This is such an incredible story that it can not even shoot a movie - no one will believe you.
So . And instead of the raid with helicopters what happened ?
Then they began to pursue our lawyers . Opened a criminal case against all seven .
Among them were Russian and Americans , yes ?
One American, Jamison Firestone , the rest - Russian citizens. Understand , I'm a financial analyst by training . I did not sign for the war , I never had no idea what people in my profession would risk his life . I brought all of our lawyers apologize for what happened , and asked them to leave Russia at my expense and settle in London at my expense . It was a very difficult conversation . They were all a little over forty, all on top of career, some did not speak in English - and I encouraged them to give up everything - career , friends, and your life - and immediately run . Six of the seven agreed.
And all came here ?
All now live here. Sergei Magnitsky refused one . He was then thirty-six years , that is, he is a representative of a different generation . He said: " Now is not the thirty- seventh year. I have done nothing wrong , I know the law is no reason for my arrest did not exist. " And he said an amazing thing : "This story is not about the Hermitage, is the story of Russia . These people are robbed of my country , and I can not tolerate this . " We tried several times to persuade him to leave. In October 2008, Sergei gave evidence relating to the activities Kuznetsova . November 24 three direct reports Kuznetsov came to his house at eight in the morning and in front of his wife and two small children turned upside down flat , and Sergei increased to Petrovka , 38, where he was taken into custody . Then it started to press him to recanted and signed a confession that he had stolen two hundred thirty million .
How do you know ? Have you been in touch ?
There was no connection , but we know what happened to Sergei , in great detail, because all the time he was a prisoner , Sergey wrote complaints - in relation to each violation of the law. For 358 days, he wrote 450 complaints. We are all there. This modern " Gulag Archipelago ." We know who did that every day. As he was placed in a cell with eight inmates and four beds. As he was placed in a cell with no heating and no window glass , in Moscow in December. As he was placed in a cell with no toilet , but just an " ochkom " in the floor from which the waste came out and filled up the floor. As he refused to clean drinking water. As he fasted for days . As he lost twenty pounds, he developed severe abdominal pain and was diagnosed with " pancreatitis and gallstones ." As he promised to step in Sailor's Silence , and a week before the surgery again asked to sign a false confession . He refused and he was transported to Butyrka . How Butyrka he made twenty calls for medical assistance and did not get it. November 16 he was in critical condition , and he was finally transported back to Sailor's Silence, in the hospital, but there instead of treating him wearing a straitjacket , chained to the bed , placed in solitary confinement and was left there for one hour thirteen minutes until it died at the age of thirty-seven years.
How do you know about a straitjacket ?
Moscow Public Oversight Commission , on which no one had expected nothing , conducted an investigation into the circumstances of his death and published a stunning report . Despite the fact that everyone with whom they talked, tangled in the testimony , they were able to make a very detailed chronology and draw quite a harrowing picture. And so. On the death of Sergei Magnitsky I found out the morning of 17 November. It is one thing - to lose man , and another thing - to lose a young person , it's much harder. But to lose a young man who was tortured year only in order to cover up the crime of others - I can not tell you what it is. And I can say for myself and for all those who knew and Sergei tried to help him , to save him, his killers made ​​enemies forever . None of us will leave this matter until the killer is not punished Sergei until we achieve justice.
How do you plan to achieve it ?
Sergei's death - this is a very important signal to all. He was not a human rights activist , he was not involved in politics , he had nothing to do with Chechnya. He was a tax lawyer that just did not work for that client and simply acted as a responsible citizen , when he discovered a monstrous crime committed against his country . As a result, this moderately wealthy person is in a terrible dungeon , where he was tortured to death. And it can happen to anyone , it is clear the most thick-skinned , the most cynical observer. And the Russian president got an important question: who is he now - "supervisor " for " lawlessness " or guarantor of order , which still tries to do something and dare to pursue those who stand at the head of the criminal pyramid in the country?
And who are they ?
Those who stole two hundred thirty million dollars , and much more .
But who are they ?
The ministers in the government.
Do you know their names ?
Yes. But to call them publicly I'm not ready , we are still collecting evidence. So, Medvedev announced an inquiry . According to research by Levada Center , Twenty- nine percent of Russians have heard about the case of Magnitsky . It is now a big name and a landmark deal . And a week after the president announced the initiation of an investigation , the Ministry of the Interior organized a press conference - a rarity - and says he is very sorry about what happened , a man died in custody , but they did not know he was ill. And this despite the presence of twenty- formal requests for medical assistance. Some of them were well received formal waivers. Further, they declared him guilty , even though there was no trial . Like, sorry that this criminal is dead, but it happens. Yes , we must also say that the family asked for Magnitsky independent forensic examination, prosecutor's office refused , saying that in a morgue refrigerator broke down and had to quickly bury the body . But after about two months after his death became known first details of the conclusion of the pathologist stating that Sergei died of " cardiac arrest ." This is totally contrary to what the doctor said about three hours after death , he said that Sergei died of peritonitis. Then we realized that all goes to the fact that as a result of the investigation say that , unfortunately , the young man died of heart failure - very sad, but it happens. It became clear that we must seek justice outside Russia . I began to travel to different countries , meet with politicians and officials. In particular , I managed to attract the attention of U.S. Senator Benjamin Cardin of Maryland - I was telling him about Sergei before his death. And after his death, we sat down with the senator and came up with a plan of action to achieve justice. What do we know about the perpetrators - they stole the money. And the money no one likes to be stored in Russia , even criminals . Therefore, our first idea : prevent them from getting a visa to America. We have provided documents to various officials : the man who denied Sergei medical care , the judges who in five minutes have ruled with false documents , Kuznetsov with his orders. The list consisted of sixty people , but we are constantly adding to it new people to the extent of evidence. We gave a list of the secretary of state , but there was no answer . Then I testified before a congressional subcommittee on human rights. And then the committee chairman , Jim McGovern of Massachusetts , said the State Department will not wait , and will offer a bill . Called: "Justice for Sergei Magnitsky ," and it is registered not only a ban on visas, but also arrest any accounts of these people in American banks . Then the Europeans to join , the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling on EU member states to introduce similar sanctions. Both the Russian parliament, which never bothered stealing two hundred and thirty million dollars , never bothered death of Sergei Magnitsky as a result of torture , was worried when there was a smell visa ban and the arrest of accounts of officials. Convened an emergency session and decided to impose sanctions on European parliamentarians who voted for the visa ban . And they decided to send a delegation to Strasbourg to try to stop the bill . It did not work out. Europeans voted "for", and I think that this year, the United States, Canada and European countries finally banned from entering Magnitsky's killers would be arrested and their accounts .
How good comes your list ?
To the Deputy Attorney General, the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs and Viktor Voronin.
is high enough ?
Our campaign is successful precisely because we provide concrete evidence on individuals . I'm not sure that we will achieve justice for all guilty , but I am sure that we will achieve justice for all , against whom we have evidence .
What is the big picture you have now taken shape, you do everything that happened explain them ?
I realized that's what. In Russia there is no state . This is the territory occupied by a handful of criminals. In the 141 million Russian lives of normal , hardworking , generous , intelligent , decent people. A million criminals who are destroying everything . And there is no state .
It is unlikely that such a situation is in the interests of Putin or Medvedev .
There are only two possible answers: either they share , or they can not do anything.
What do you think ?
I do not know. In both cases, Russia cursed.
How much time do you currently spend on essentially political activity? You also run a business .
I'm a good businessman , I know how to combine . Sometimes all it takes weeks , sometimes a whole week goes by without it. But to achieve justice - this is the main purpose that I put myself in life .
When you are satisfied ?
When those who killed Sergei Magnitsky , will be sitting in jail. Until then, we will not stop .
hope is that you will live to see this ?
Look, Russia is not controlled . Neither bad nor good . So there is very bad and scary. Anything can happen.
You make a series of videos called " untouchables ", which tells the story of how they live , who you consider complicit in Magnitsky's death . How do you gather information ?
The first was a film about Artem Kuznetsov . This movie we put on the site Russian -untouchables.com. There's also created a kind of document library for those who are interested in our history. It contains the following sections : "Be civil investigator " and "Share information about these people ." And people were not only send the information , but also to call us - and an average of one or two people a week saying, " I know this man ," or " I have information about this bank ." So we gradually get a huge amount of information .
How did you check ?
Much of what we send is not true , something exaggerated or not is irrelevant . But when there is a check that the work is a hundred times easier.
How many people have you here doing this ?
If you add it all together , the campaign involved a hundred lawyers, lobbyists , responsible for public relations. People are working for free.
How do you now feel about the fact that so many years have supported Putin ?
I'm sick of it. Obviously, I was completely wrong . I'm too much importance attached by his actions that were in our favor , looking at them through the prism of self-interest. Now I've been on the other side , and I'm sorry about what I said a single word of support.
do you take anything to convince people not to invest now in Russia ?
Of course . In Davos, Shuvalov spoke , talked about innovation and modernization and beautiful about a stable investment climate, he was asked a question obsequious different chapters of Western companies , but in the end I got up in front of TV cameras and an audience of one hundred and fifty people told the story of Sergei Magnitsky . After the speech, many came up to me and said, "Lord , you can not invest in such a country ."
Do you think that in Russia it is still possible to earn ?
You can, if you're willing to risk losing not only money, but also of life. For most businesses this is unacceptable risks .
But if most still remain outside the country ...
Well , look, I've wanted. Well, I'm a British citizen and live outside Russia for five years. But the killer Magnitsky accuse me of the same crime , on a charge of which he was tortured . To those who are connected with Russia , anything can happen , wherever they may be.
The fact that you are wanted , you are concerned about ?
No, no court in the world has decided to issue me Russia in such circumstances. But we collected a lot of evidence. And what is the fate of people who, for one reason or another can not do ? They are something , too, can be declared wanted.
Do you get scared ?
I have often been threatened. On SMS, e- mail, voice mail.
You said you met with Medvedev in 2005 and earlier. What is it to you the impression ?
He had a good watch . Something very expensive Swiss , gold . I have then thought interesting to watch public servant.
Well, except the clock ?
Nice suit . Good manners .
When he became president, you're up to expectations ?
I liked the word. What he said about the legal nihilism . If I lived on Mars and heard these words coming out of Russia , I would have thought, " Cute country ."
Do you ever go back to Russia ?
You know, Nelson Mandela was considered a criminal and a terrorist, and then became president of the country. I am considered the most undesirable foreigner in Russia , but I think that someday I will be one of the most coveted .
   


This interview is available in the social networks .

[Магнолия]

Personally, I welcome the removal of such Russian educators . Not only did he pricked buy for pennies vouchers that were, in essence, the likelihood (not likely !) More or less at least some income , so also profit from a foreign country like ... I would be honest and respectable , was explaining to the unenlightened , the prospects for privatization.

Dividends from the property - a completely different problem. This is a major and very dangerous disease of Russian capitalism . Theft and fraud hit almost everything.
But opposition to anti- theft - is deadly metastasis .

[тандем]

Сообщение от Magnolia ; 2742771 "

Stealing permeates every facet of our lives from state to private, and the fight against it has become an indicator of the state of Russia . Needed for the treatment of diagnosis that is installed on the manifestations . We begin with a description of the brightest observed the whole world .

Whose struggle ? Assuming you brought the interview , it is about the struggle fund Hermitage Capital, its head William Browder and jailers killed on the orders of the authorities , Hermitage lawyer Sergei Magnitsky .
And then you write

Сообщение от Magnolia ; 2744471 "

Personally, I welcome the removal of such Russian educators . Not only did he pricked buy for pennies vouchers that were, in essence, the likelihood (not likely !) More or less at least some income , so also profit from a foreign country like ... I would be honest and respectable , was explaining to the unenlightened , the prospects for privatization .

TE you're welcome expulsion of Russian fund Hermitage Capital and its head , William Browder , in particular?
So you are at one with Magnitsky's killers !
Explain , only without the false philosophical concoctions that you love to breed .

[Магнолия]

Сообщение от tandem ; 2745481 "

Explain , only without the false philosophical concoctions

Explain without false philosophical concoctions :

1. Voucher privatization - even distribution of property rights between the citizens of Russia by a rich country the means of production . One civilian - one voucher .
Unfortunately, there has not been provided legal ban on the transfer of rights distributed to another person. Perhaps it was a trick to deceive the people at that time , did not understand anything in the artificial transition from socialism to capitalism.
As a foreigner , Browder was involved in the privatization of their money through nominees , and then made ​​out to himself a contract of sale has already privatized property . Son of a gun !

2 . Next Browder expected it to be fair , that is, the shares or the shares of ownership will be paid in proportion to income . Far from it ! Clever guide enterprises to pay themselves excessive salaries , bonuses, matpomosch and shareholders teams reported that there is no profit , or that
profit focused on the development of production.
That's when Browder screamed and began to struggle with greed is not involved in the payments to shareholders. Here, honor and praise to his perseverance and the ability to organize the investigation of schemes withdrawal of money. However , one must understand that he tried solely for the sake of his own pocket . So for the sake of sucking money out of Russia .

3 . When this voracious bug kicked out of our country , he quickly oriented himself how to dispose of the shares , but very nourishing to leave the territory he does not like. I. .. fraera ruined by greed . His hooked big gangsters . Started a real mess . Browder was framed by a very large theft from the budget.

4 . Regarding the concern Browder for their lawyers - can you believe , you can not believe. As for Sergei Magnitsky , I infinitely respect for these people. I myself for over 10 years sought initiation of criminal proceedings against the management of JSC "North - veg " and collided with a terry corruption police department , prosecutor's office and the court. There is good reason for me not dare to do the same as with Magnitsky . But the threat was enough.
Your insinuation about my relation to the murder of Magnitsky's absurd. As you could climb up with this idea ? I can not help wondering cynicism of our politicians to protect their criminal attacks security forces. History has shown that among our people is still very much a beast.

5 . Browder, of course, feels responsible for the death of Magnitsky serve it . He is now making political moves , and rightly so. Russia should be treated.



tandem , if you think that I like to plant false philosophical bodyagu , it means that you can not (or will not) understand the course of my pursuit of fine material for the alphabetic system that is fundamental to the system principles of nature .
Or maybe you do not see the difference between the alphabet and the alphabet ?

[тандем]

Сообщение от Magnolia ; 2745791 "

Russia should be treated .

Russia will soon heal century - the Bolsheviks , Communists with Yeltsin and including today - Putin Gazpromom.Stranno that the patient has signs of life . But not because of healers of all kinds but only at the expense of natural resources.

Сообщение от Magnolia ; 2745791 "

Maybe you do not see the difference between the alphabet and the alphabet ?

I do not see any difference between you and those who " hesitated " to the line CP - GB approve the repression of Stalin's gang , the expulsion of Solzhenitsyn and Sakharov and turning the kitchen ration package from a closed grocery store, lamented the fact that "a little more justice in the country" - out of a neighboring district committee chief of the department is going to Yugoslavia and you just got back Zlata Piaski ....
I'm not interested in your quest - this hodgepodge of pseudo-scientific terms , far-fetched passages from mythology and amateur reasoning man who has nothing to do. And I think that is not my own.

[Магнолия]

Сообщение от tandem ; 2746011 "

I do not see any difference ............
I'm not interested .......

This is because you are blind and evil .
I regret that I spent my time on the answer insane.


Administration please do not blame me for self-defense and to remove unsubstantiated allegations tandem , degrading the honor and dignity of the participant in the forum .

[Fed]

Сообщение от Magnolia

fabrications tandem, degrading the honor and dignity of the participant in the forum.

What is the antonym of Chestohval as well?
Chestodral?

[Кирилл Сызранский]

Сообщение от tandem ; 2745481 "

TE you're welcome expulsion of Russian fund Hermitage Capital and its head , William Browder , in particular?
So you are at one with Magnitsky's killers !

Exactly the same conclusion was made of these words :

Сообщение от Magnolia ; 2744471 "

Personally, I welcome the removal of such Russian educators . Not only did he pricked buy for pennies vouchers that were, in essence, the likelihood (not likely !) More or less at least some income , so also profit from a foreign country like ...

[Магнолия]

Сообщение от Cyril Syzransky

The same conclusion was made of these words:

Cyril Syzransky, Explanation record number 4 read?


If a person has a beautiful face and an ugly figure, it is ugly or handsome?


Well have to be able to analyze a statement!
!
!

[Кирилл Сызранский]

Сообщение от Magnolia ; 2746291 "

If a person has a beautiful face and an ugly figure , it is ugly or handsome ?

I'm on such categories of people do not share .

Читать дальше... 

And " handsome /ugly " - too subjective : Jack Nicholson , Dustin Hoffman , Al Pacino and Robert De Niro is not " pretty face ", but their loved by millions , and probably consider them "handsome". <! - ~ 7 ~ ->