A Russian term, dezinformatsiya is propaganda that makes false claims. Its purpose is to plant seeds of doubt in the truth. The Russians used such a campaign against Bill Browder, Magnitsky, and the quest for laws in the latter’s name.

This US law requires “anyone trying to influence US policy on behalf of a foreign government” (222) to register with the Department of Justice. Browder hoped to publicize how Americans, such as Simpson and Moscow, were violating this criminal statute, but he was foiled in his efforts to get an article published because of Simpson’s influence. Senator Chuck Grassley, however, held hearings on the law, at which Browder was invited to testify, and put the spotlight on the DOJ’s lack of enforcement.

The Finrosforum was a conference held in Finland that brought “together all the great and good from the Russian opposition and human rights community” (39). Browder won much-needed support for Magnitsky laws from Russian dissidents when he made a presentation at this conference.