Red Notice, p 276-7: “That night, at 12:15 a.m., the voice mail alert on my BlackBerry vibrated. Nobody ever called my BlackBerry. No one even knew the number. I looked at Elena and dialed into voice mail.…I heard a man in the midst of a savage beating. He was screaming and pleading. The recording lasted about two minutes and cut mid-wail.”

Please use your brain. Was Magnitsky, who Browder says was tortured in prison, allowed to have a cell phone? Really? They sure can’t have them in US prisons. Did he never call during the terrible tortures Browder says happened for many months? Browder doesn’t say so. So this is this the first time that Magnitsky during the alleged one-hour beating by government thugs finally called Browder?

How did that happen? Imagine Magnitsky, handcuffed based on the bruises found on his wrists, being beaten: “Hey guys, I have to make a phone call. Can we take a break?” Thug leader: “OK, you have 5 minutes. Guys, take a smoke.” Magnitsky with great dexterity pulls out his phone and dials Browder. No answer. He doesn’t say, “Hey Bill, they are beating me! Do something!” Instead he just screams. Hangs up. Thugs resume beating.

Did Browder call the number back? Apparently not. At least he doesn’t say. The alleged Magnitsky “scream” was a recorded message. Did he post this important “evidence”? No, he didn’t.

Editors of the great US publishing house Simon and Schuster vetted this book, and book critics reviewed it with great praise. Guys, did you believe this story? Really? What were you smoking?