Bill Browder was the largest foreign investor in Russia until 2005, when he was denied entry to the country for exposing corruption in Russian state-owned companies. Browder's colleague Sergei Magnitsky uncovered a massive tax scam totaling hundreds of billions of dollars, and the officials he accused of stealing the funds threw him into jail, where he was beaten, tortured, and then died in custody in 2009. Browder decided to act, pushing for accountability of those involved in Magnitsky’s death. Browder’s activism has led to the passing of the Global Magnitsky Act, which authorizes the US government to sanction international government officials believed to be behind human rights violations. Julia Macfarlane sits down with Browder to discuss his work targeting corrupt Russian officials while Sir Richard Dearlove, former head of Britain's Mi6, shares his insight on the complex trails of Russian money, who's hiding it, and who has access to it.
Amid a wave of European support for Ukraine, Hungary has emerged an outlier; refusing to send weapons to Kyiv or cut off Russian oil supply. Newly re-elected Prime Minister Viktor Orban has openly spoken of his admiration for Russia’s President Putin, and described himself as the leader of “an illiberal democracy.” So does that leave Budapest more closely aligned with Brussels or Moscow? Guest co-host Helena Humphrey sits down with Klara Dobrev, a Hungarian left-wing politician and MEP, to talk about her recent decision to put her hat in the ring, and challenge Orban himself. Meanwhile One Decision's Sir Richard Dearlove, former head of Britain's Mi6, shares his insight on Orban's true motives, who his real friends are among the looming potential energy crisis, and predicts the future of Britain's leadership.
While foreign correspondent Laura Haim is on assignment in Paris reporting on the effects of the war in Europe, she's also been following the story of a small coastal village in the South of France that's drawn Russians for years - and not just wealthy Russians, but some of the world's most notorious Russian oligarchs. However, with the war in Ukraine, the town is in a state of flux. With sanctions in place, many Russians' have had their assets frozen - making it hard to maintain their estates. For these oligarchs, where they are headed now has been the subject of growing speculation and reporting. Laura Haim, sits down with Louise Shelley, director of the transnational crime and corruption center at George Mason University, who is an expert witness on how Russian money is laundered through real estate, and Sir Richard Dearlove, former head of Britain's Mi6, to discuss where Russian oligarchs are fleeing to and why, what countries are letting them in, and the potential of corruption in Ukraine during rebuilding.
US President Joe Biden promised to make a “pariah” out of Saudi Arabia and its Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, who is widely held responsible overseas for the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the brutal war in Yemen, a rise in mass executions and other human rights abuses in the Kingdom. But at a time when inflation is soaring, global oil prices are surging and China is courting the Gulf - can Biden and the US afford to isolate Saudi Arabia and ignore the Middle East? One Decision's Julia Macfarlane and former head of Britain's MI6, Sir Richard Dearlove, sit down with former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk, Axios’ political reporter Hans Nichols, and Washington DC’s Director of Human Rights Watch, Sarah Yager, to unpack what really happened on Biden’s trip and its global implications.
This month, China has been marking the 25th anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong, from British rule back to China. For many Hong Kongers, this was not a day of celebration - including for Samuel Chu, a Hong-Kong born American activist, founder and President of the non-profit group Campaign for Hong Kong. His father, a retired pastor, was one of the leading figures behind the Occupy Central movement, the pro-democracy mass movement that sparked the Umbrella Revolution in Hong Kong back in 2014. As the first foreigner wanted by China under China's National Security Law, Samuel joins Julia Macfarlane to discuss how China’s actions in Hong Kong may inform Taiwan’s future, while Sir Richard Dearlove reveals new details about the negotiations and his skepticism of China during this time.
Ten years ago, Charlene Chu, dubbed the 'rockstar of Chinese debt analysis' sent shockwaves across the world by sounding a warning over China's escalating debt problem and the risk it presented to the global financial system. Today, two years after the outbreak of the covid pandemic, in the midst of a war in Europe, and a worldwide supply-chain and energy crisis, President Xi is grappling with his zero-covid policy and easing China back into business. But one of the biggest worries that senior analysts like Chu have, is the precarious property bubble that threatens to burst - potentially taking much of the Chinese, and even global, economy with it. Chu sits down with One Decision to give her forecast and warnings for 2022 and beyond.
Guest: Bill Browder-CEO, Hermitage Capital
Guest: Klara Dobrev-Minister, European Parliament
Guests: Louise Shelley-Director, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center at George Mason University
Guests: Martin Indyk-Former US ambassador to Israel; Sarah Yager-Washington Director, Human Rights Watch; Hans Nichols-Political reporter, Axios
Guest: Samuel Chu-President The Campaign for Hong Kong
Guest: Charlene Chu-Senior Analyst & Managing Director, Autonomous Research