Bill Browder: Poke out my eye

William "Bill" Browder is an American financier who launched the Hermitage Fund in Russia in 1996. Choosing finance was an act of rebellion against his family of committed Communists.

He made Hermitage into the best-performing emerging-markets fund in the world, generated returns of 1,500% for investors, and had $4.5 billion of assets under management.

Then everything fell apart. His campaigns against Russian corruption led to the state in 2005 to declare him “a threat to national security.” Browder's Russian lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky, was arrested, imprisoned without trial, and tortured before dying in prison on November 16, 2009.

Browder shared the following proverb in his gripping memoir, Red Notice: A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man's Fight for Justice.

There’s a famous Russian proverb. One day, a poor villager happens upon a magic talking fish that is ready to grant him a single wish. Overjoyed, the villager weighs his options: “Maybe a castle? Or even better, a thousand bars of gold? Why not a ship to sail the world?”

As the villager is about to make his decision, the fish interrupts him to say that there is one important caveat: whatever the villager gets, his neighbor will receive two of the same.

Without skipping a beat, the villager says, “In that case, please poke one of my eyes out.

– Bill Browder

Since the death of Browder's Russian lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky, Mr. Browder's campaigning has led governments around the world to pass "Magnitsky Acts" that impose targeted visa bans and asset freezes on human rights abusers and highly corrupt officials.

Browder's net worth today is estimated to be $150 million.

Disclaimer: This newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Please consult a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. Links on this page may be affiliate links, meaning your purchases help support this newsletter. Quotes may be edited slightly for clarity. Images represent our best effort. Copyright © 2025 mydailyoracle.com. All rights reserved.