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Defiance: Or How to Succeed in Business Despite Being Hounded by the FBI, the KGB, the INS, the Department of Homeland Security,

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Alex Konanykhin's story of his phenomenal success against overwhelming odds in becoming one of Russia's first entrepreneurs and the steep price he paid as a result, is one that rivals and even tops any novel by James Patterson,Carol Higgins Clark, or Frederick Forsyth. The sad part is how the U.S. goverment was a willing party in Russia's attempt to suppress and kill Konanykhin.

The most amazing part is that this is ALL verifiably true!

Defiance By Alex Konanykhin How to succeed in business despite being hounded by the FBI, INS, Homeland Scurity, Interpol, Department of Justice, and Mafia hit men. This is the amazing true story of Alex Konanykhin, a young man who made millions in Russia during and immediately after the ending of the Soviet Union's Communist dictatorship. He was an entrepreneur in business even before citizens were allowed to pursue capitalistic ventures and before he had completed college. His wealth was seized by the KGB and he had to flee Russia to keep from being killed or thrown into political prison. He continued to pursue business ventures within Russia even from his exile in Hungary and later the United States. In a difficult to fathom true account he describes how the United States government sold him out to the KGB and Russian mafia who wanted him returned to Russia so they could kill him. The biographical account reads like a Clancey novel. His determination and courage are amazing, and what was done to him by trusted government entities of several countries is horrifying. An interesting read.

Defiance by Alex Konanykhin (pronounced ko-nen-ee-kin) is a story of survivability, magnified to its ultimate limit. That someone could live through this story, much less write it- boggles the imagination. Alex Konanykhin must be the world's most tenacious advocate for human liberty and personal economic freedom. Defiance is sub-titled "How to Succeed in Business While Being Targeted by the FBI, the KGB, the Department of Homeland Security, the INS and the Mafia Hit Men" and is literally about his empire-building in the face of intransigent opposition by U.S. government agencies, powerful criminal organizations, and highly-placed officials in Russia.

The story is gripping, though difficult to verify, filled as it is with contentions of high level maneuvering on very secret levels of government- all with the purpose of stripping Konanykhin and his wife of all of their assets, dignity and liberty. Still, Konanykhin's claims are buoyed up by the ultimate decision of the U. S. Courts to allow him to remain and work in the United States.

Konanykhin was never a quiet, unassuming pawn of any government or any economic regime. In the 1980's, as he grew to young manhood in the former Soviet Union, he acted fearlessly to protect his right to grow and prosper economically in a regime that radically constrained individual economic development unless masked sufficiently by the hierarchy of the Communist Party, whose patronage of its own membership created a hypocritical and self-nurturing protected upper class in most Communist countries. Indeed, in the face of strong government oppositions, large fines and possible prison, Konanykhin conducted a successful construction business, even as a student. Eventually, he was forced to go into a kind of hiding when the government had targeted him to go to Afghanistan as part of their military adventurism of the times.

Konanykhin adjusted to the new political climates in the Soviet Union as fast as they developed and was one of the first to legalize his construction business, when it was possible. So, in a subtle way, he rode the early waves of Russian capitalism under the regime of perestroika. But these early successes were simply the foundations for another remarkable twist of his story. Ultimately, Konanykhin did not only win his right to pursue his entrepreneurial instincts in Russia, he won his own private Russian lottery. According to Defiance, this was not the result of any kind strategic political planning, but quite the opposite. It was the result of financially backing, gambling on an unpopular and unlikely dark horse, the brave, but tempestuous Boris Yeltsin. Backing Yeltsin's political moves despite furious political opposition, at the time, was just another Konanykhin form of rebellion. He didn't believe Yeltsin could win, but he liked his spirit- and he enjoyed funding the opposition. But when Yeltsin won, it opened the door to real estate and commodities opportunities that provided him with the prospects of almost unlimited wealth and power.

But the new Russian economic freedom did not function perfectly. And the forces of power were transferred from the Communist Government and the KGB to the Russian Mafioso, which gained some of their strength from the remnants of the old KGB. It was through these type of illegitimate predators that this linkage was spread throughout the higher levels in Konanykhin's own business organizations, threatening not only his economic well-being, but his life itself. He now faces a Russian Mafioso, whose popular signature is a hot iron sitting besides him, used traditionally to extract agreement from his overly-contentious victims.

Through the mechanics of a remarkable tie to a cosmic lifeline, transcending the ordinary wave of events. Once in the United States, Konanykhin is not quiet. He pursues legal and publicity channels to make his story know. Although Konanykhin has made it to the United States, it is no safe haven for himself and his wife. It is just another venue where his enemies relentlessly pursue him. According to Konaykhin, he becomes a pawn in a game to consolidate the power of the FBI in Moscow, partially through the United States acceding to certain officials' demands to return the pesky Konanykin to Russia. Now, directly and indirectly, the INS, the FBI and Homeland Security become pawns of a game to finally silence the intractable entrepreneur. As events in the U.S. approach an end game, Konanykhin and his wife are arrested by Homeland Security agents, brandishing machine guns, just before trying to cross the Canadian border. This was 2003 and Konanykhin was to begin this book in prison.

The rest of the story is a remarkable tale of Konanykhin and his wife's vindication by the U. S. Justice System. It is the story of Konanykhin first prayer to a God he never knew. It is the story of, again, planning his fortune in the midst of incredibly adverse conditions. Konanykhin, born and raised in the autocratic Soviet Union, Konanykhin was certainly not born with a silver spoon in his mouth. But, curiously enough, he was born with something even more important. Konanykhin, a Russian born slave of the early Soviet communist regime, was born with the American Dream. It was an unquenchable fire inside of him that drew him to these shores of liberty. He may not have known the words of Jefferson, Paine, Franklin or Washington, but he knew the warmth that fueled their words. Defiance chronicles one man's belief in those sentiments and his courageous defense of his own freedom- not only for justice, freedom of speech and for life itself, but also to enjoy the fruits of liberty- to prosper and do well in the new world of freedom.

Amazing true story about a young entrepreneur and his wife and the injustic they suffered at the hands of both the Russian and American goverments. I would highly recommend this book.

I read Brian Haig's book, The Hunted, absolutely loved it, and got to the end only to find it was based on reality. I went looking for the original story, and had to have it. It was well written and fascinating reading. I wish I could say I was surprised at how our government and law enforcement agencies were portrayed in either story, but unfortunately, I wasn't. I was hooked into the lives of these individuals and racing to the end of the book to find out the outcome. My only disappointment with it is I do not feel the story is over yet.

Yikes, great read and its real! Washington turns on him to keep their FBI bureau in Moscow. This book is real hard to put down once you start.

And you think you've got it rough?

Young, wealthy, powerful and prominent one day and a robbed fugitive with a KGB contract out on his head the next, so has gone the life of Alex Konanykhin. Like they said it on 60 Minutes,

"Alex Konanykhin didn't only have KGB after him...He had the FBI, the Justice Department, even the CIA all on his case, as a favor to the Russians, part of a deal to allow the FBI to keep a bureau in Moscow."

And while you may have heard a bit about the chaos and danger faced by Alex and his wife Elena on 60 Minutes, CNN and FOX News, you now have the chance to experience the thrill of their misadventures first hand in Alex's new fact action page turner, Defiance.

While the plot is as twisted as any international paperback novel, this is the real McCoy - every bit of it a true story. From cover to cover, you'll find yourself immersed in a world of cruelty, intrigue and espionage, and seeing it through the eyes of an indomitable hero diametrically opposed to the oppression and lack of moral fiber (and ingenuity) around him. What started out as merely an attempt to quell an internal business takeover took him on a whirlwind adventure that left them fleeing from country to country, until finally finding themselves seeking amnesty within the safety of the borders of the United States.

But the story doesn't end there. In fact, it only begins.

Soon after fleeing here for safety, Alex learned that it wasn't just Russia that was after his life. You may just be surprised to learn of some of the social (and potentially life-threatening) injustices that various departments of the United States government made this young man and his wife suffer through as the US Court system became the playing field for a battle of immense, far reaching and often quite unexpected proportions.

More than just a great fast paced read highlighting the highs and lows of an incredible decade of change, Defiance is also a great source of motivation and inspiration for rising entrepreneurs and business men and women all across the globe. In addition to the hope inspired by the story of the chase, you'll also find wonderful insight into the budding economy and changing political ideology in Russia that are sure to refresh the hearts and minds of even the staunchest and experienced Capitalists around!

In a world far too short of people with principles, integrity, and long-suffering Alex's story is sure to inspire individuals in just about any negative situation, from imprisoned immigrants to disgruntled employees, to reach above their current circumstances and hold fast to a dream of something more, something better.

With an intense plot that will speed you from the first page to the last, and a bird's eye view of a world straight out of a spy novel (hey, that's not just me saying that, judges said so too!) Defiance is a compelling page turner that solidly deserves two thumbs up!

-Jennifer Gibbs

Defiance is a riveting, eye-opening, and compelling story of the Konanykhin family, who desperately tried to stay one step ahead of former KGB agents and ruthless CIA, FBI, and INS agencies. Once one of Russia's wealthiest men, Alex Konanykhin runs for his life (and the life of his devoted wife, Elena) after his bank is taken over by former KGB agents through extortion and fraud. The KGB displayed their unsavory tactics through kidnapping the Konanykhin couple. The two successfully perform a daring escape from Hungary and obtain quiet refuge in the United States, which had granted him a green card from the United States Immigration Department.

Their freedom in America was short-lived. The Konanykhins were arrested on bogus criminal charges which had been sought by the Attorney General of Russia. While an innocent man and his wife are trying to seek justice, powerful law firms, and even an INS agent, come to Alex's defense as a pro bono case.

Brilliantly written, Alex tells his own story in Defiance eloquently. The book is a must-read for every American who values basic Constitutional rights and how these rights can be trampled on for sheer political purposes. Follow the story through a myriad of legal maneuvers by the INS and United States Department of Justice designed to sell out the Konanykhin's in order to win favor with the Russian Government. Defiance dramatically sends message to readers that government agencies, whenever located, can succumb to corruption and use under-handed tactics with conscious disregard for basic, human, and constitutional rights.

But Defiance is not just about the issue of constitutional rights. It is also relays the disquieting apathy and lack of courage of our society as a whole to defend basic constitutional rights of others when these rights are placed in jeopardy.

Stripped of their estimated $300-$400 million in assets, the couple soon becomes disenchanted with their situation and begins to lose hope. But their courage to fight the system and their love for each other, which never wavered, is inspiring for us all. Having lost fortunes before and working his way back to wealth, Alex is a role model for aspiring entrepreneurs everywhere. This book restores the sense of ultimate justice while reminding us that even "justice", once denied can never really be restored when it has been delayed.

The emotional courtroom drama recounting the Konanykhin's story climaxes in the rendering of a decision by an American Immigration Department administrative law judge. The judge is faced with a politically-charged situation. Will the judge rule in favor of the Konanykhins and do them justice? Or will he collapse and lend aid to the intelligence agencies' carte blanche tactical methods?

Alex Konanykhin was a major supporter and friend of former Russian President Boris Yeltzin, whose political campaign was substantially funded financially by Alex. The Russian mafia and the KGB have likely taken over many of the new industries in Russia, and around the world, as well as the United States. The Konanykhin's story cannot help but capture your interest and keep you on the edge of your seat through every page.

Fasten your seat belts and prepare for the ride of your life.

Defiance is a real life story of Alex Konanykhin that rivals any thriller that you mightsee on television or at the movies. Alex Konanykhin has lived a life that spanned from riches to defying the world's two superpowers in his quest for freedom. From being the Bill Gates of Russia to a marked man by the Russian mafia to a refugee in the United States to being a prisoner and tehn political refugee and comeback kid, Alex Konanykhin has done all of that and more. In Defiance he tells his story which is one of the unconquerable human spirit. This book will keep you reading to the end and is if youread no other book this year, Defiance is the book you must read.

I had the pleasure of being one of the first to read this fascinating, true story of betrayal, conspiracy and corruption. Alex describes in chilling detail his hair-raising experiences of escaping from the KGB (and Mafia assassins) and the ensuing legal battle with the U.S. government, hell-bent of extraditing him back to Russia on fake charges. Alex's against-all-odds tale is a real page-turner which will suck you in and keep you riveted till the last page.