Summary of Freezing Order by Bill Browder: A true Story Of Money Laundering, Murder and Surviving vladimir Putin's Wrath

by Frank M. Oliver

Kindle Edition

Published April 22, 2022

Reviews

[Tony Dutton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This should be compulsory read for politicians

[Bob Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the view of Putin, Bill Browder was Enemy # 1 until Ukraine’s Zelenskyy came along. Browder stood like a stone wall, unwilling to roll over as Putin and his thugs stole and laundered Russian funds then murdered anyone who got in their way.

In the view of several reviewers, Browder’s first book - “Red Notice” - was stronger and much more compelling.

It focused on the horrific story of how Putin’s thugs arrested and tortured Sergei Magnitsky for nearly a year until just before they would have had to bring him to public trial, they finished the job.

Sergei was the lawyer for Browder’s firm, Hermitage Capital Management, which was the largest foreign investor in Russia from the Soviet Union collapse until 2005. Hermitage invested $4.5 billion in Russian companies.

Browder tolerated theft and skimming by Russian bureaucrats and oligarchs, but wanted to limit it.
Magnitsky was investigating the theft of $230 million paid in taxes by Hermitage.
After the death of his friend and lawyer, Browder made worldwide adoption of the Magnitsky Act his life’s ambition.

Basically, the Magnitsky Act imposes sanctions, including freezing of assets, on foreign people who have committed human rights abuses or been involved in corruption.
This book goes off on a bender toward the end as Browder tries to make the case that President Trump’s tepid response to Putin’s offer to trade Russian hackers for Browder reflects the hold Putin had over Trump.

It’s a weaker point, certainly weaker than Browder’s own story, his fears of assassination and his court battles and his uncovering of the money laundering by top Russian officials, even childhood friends of Putin..

His main point, however, is a strong one: Putin’s prime foreign objective is to stop countries from adopting the Magnitsky Act.

It’s Browden’s crusade, his fight, his tribute to his friend.

Again, it’s no small matter to Putin, but why? “Now we knew,” Browden writes. “There weren’t just millions of dollars at stake. Or even billions. There was likely more than $1 trillion dollars at stake. And Putin will do anything to protect this.

“This amount of money will also explain why so many people had been murdered.”
In the middle of the books, there’s a lawyer hired by Browder, who suddenly switches sides - and a judge who allows it. I found that interesting.

Finally, there’s the matter of Browder’s attempt to lighten his book by describing the food he’s eating or his family’s elaborate ski vacations. Too much but still not a huge weakness.
I’m glad to know Browder’s first book was better, but I thought this one was darn good and I highly recommend it.

What I really admire is his choice of a moral life over a purely economic one. He shows guts, brains, strength and stamina in his lonely decade-long battle against Putin. It’s a lesson for all those friends who insist strong dictators and tyrants are to be admired. No, they are not. Look to people like Bill Browder - admire them, treasure them, honor them.

[Meg · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don’t Waste your time with this one!

Don’t waste your time and money. The grammar is terrible and the writer goes from one point to another and back again. The writer is all over the place and is very hard to follow and understand.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A detailed, fascinating and chilling followup to Browder's "Red Notice", covering attempts by Browder and his associates to get the Magnisky Act (which freezes assets of Russia's oiigarchs) enacted throughout the world.

[Karen Donovan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A definite read if you want to know more about the Trump/Putin connection and how Putin is controlling money laundering in a ridiculously massive scale. Bill Browder is one very brave man to continue his efforts to expose Russia’s evil doings and to pass the Magnitsky bill across the world in an attempt to stop the evil.

[Ann Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title says it all. Quite a detailed, and at times meandering tale. It details the remarkable effort by Bill Browder & his associates and contacts against everything Russia throws at them to bring the Magnitsky Act into law in many countries.

[Merry Rassman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! A “must read”. Eye opening. A true, modern day thriller.