Bill Browder made his fortune by investing in undervalued Russian companies during the period of privatization that followed the fall of the Soviet Union. He specifically targeted companies like Gazprom, where he identified large-scale corruption and theft by oligarchs 00:31:01 - 00:31:16. Browder became a shareholder activist, working against these oligarchs to stop them from stealing from him and other shareholders 00:31:10 - 00:31:20.

Browder is seeking justice now due to the events following his expulsion from Russia, where he was declared a threat to national security. His offices were raided, and documents were seized, which were then used to fraudulently re-register his investment companies 00:55:30 - 00:55:47. Browder hired a lawyer named Sergei Magnitsky to investigate, who discovered that the purpose of the raid was to steal $230 million of taxes that Browder's companies had paid to the Russian government 00:55:47 - 00:56:03.

After Magnitsky's death in Russian custody, Browder vowed to seek justice for him, focusing his efforts on exposing those responsible and ensuring they face consequences 01:03:35 - 01:03:58. He pursued justice outside of Russia since Russian authorities protected the implicated officials and even posthumously tried Magnitsky, sentencing Browder in absentia 01:04:32 - 01:04:58.

Browder has been advocating for the Magnitsky Act, a law that imposes financial and visa sanctions on individuals involved in human rights abuses, which is part of his broader campaign for justice 01:04:08 - 01:04:28. He has set aside his business interests for this cause and has been working internationally to have laws passed and assets frozen in an effort to honor Magnitsky's memory and sacrifice 01:12:04 - 01:12:23.

In summary, Browder's fortune came from successful investments during Russia's privatization era, and his current pursuit of justice is in response to the fraudulent actions against his companies and the death of his lawyer Sergei Magnitsky.