LEIGH MCMANUS - Head of anti-corruption at Britain's FBI says he was ordered to halt probe into Russian money laundering by 'senior Foreign Office official'

Very strange, and even Bill Broader is disappointed. In the world of high financial crime, it looks like no one can be trusted; they're all pulling dirty tricks on each other. 

I was pretty sure it was the proceeds of the fraud and the corruption committed against Bill Browder.'    

But a more senior official at the National Crime Agency with links to the Foreign Office, according to Mr Benton, then took him to one side and asked him tostop the investigation. 

'I was approached and taken for a coffee and basically told Bill Browder is a pain in the neck and to leave it,' recalled Mr Benton.

The Telegraph also reported that a short after the first meeting, the same official again took him to one side at the NCA and told him: 'This guy Bill Browder is a real pain. We are not carrying on with the investigation.'

Mr Benton said: 'At that point I said: 'what do you mean' and he said 'it is closed and we are dealing with it. You are not to launch a money laundering investigation'.'

He added that he thought it was odd that the senior official was getting involved in the matter because he didn't usually interfere with 'operational matters.'

The former crime boss said he doesn't know the motivation behind the NCA pulling the plug on the investigation.     

Daily Mail

LEIGH MCMANUS - Head of anti-corruption at Britain's FBI says he was ordered to halt probe into Russian money laundering by 'senior Foreign Office official'