James Giffen
 James Giffen    (businessman, deep state operative) | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
Kаzаkhgаtе
Kаzаkhgаtе was a scandal centered on James Giffen, and his actions as former advisor of Kazakhstan president Nursultan Nazarbayev.
At the Kazakhgate trial, Giffen asserted that he was acting with the approval of the CIA, which refused to release secret papers relating to this activities.[1] His defense said Giffen had merely been following orders from the Kazakh government, which as a foreign state had the right to define legality according to its own views, and serving the interests of the United States.[2]
Giffen eventually pleaded guilty to a tax misdemeanor under anti-corruption laws; the other charges, which could have carried a penalty of several decades in prison, were dropped.[1] The case concluded in November 2010; U.S. District Judge William Pauley, who said he had been able to refer to classified documents that had not been made public in the trial, ordered neither prison time nor a fine for Giffen.[2]
