James Henry Giffen (March 22, 1941 – October 29, 2022) was an American businessman and an authority on American-Soviet trade.Deutsch, Claudia H. (Jul. 31, 1988). "Taking a Team Approach to Soviet Trade." New York Times. Archived from the original. He was the founder and chairman of Mercator Corporation. Giffen was the prime suspect accused in the $80 million Kazakhgate bribery scandal, which was at one time the largest U.S. investigations ever into an overseas bribery case; but which went nowhere.Macalister, Terry (May 7, 2003). "Swiss Join Oil Bribery Inquiry." The Guardian.Cassin, Richard L. (Nov. 22, 2010). "No Punishment for 'Hero' Giffen." The FCPA Blog.
Background Giffen was born in Stockton, California, on March 22, 1941.LeVine, Steve (2007). The Oil and the Glory: The Pursuit of Empire and Fortune on the Caspian Sea. New York: Random House (2007). . . He had ties to the USSR dating back to the 1970s. After graduating from college, he worked for a subsidiary of Armco Steel, developing a relationship with Armco boss and future US commerce secretary C. William Verity, Jr.Stodghill, Ron (Nov. 5, 2006). "Oil, Cash and Corruption." New York Times. Archived from the original. During the Cold War, Giffen was instrumental in setting up the multi-company American Trade Consortium (including large corporations such as RJR Nabisco, Chevron, Eastman Kodak, Johnson & Johnson and Archer Daniels Midland) to negotiate entry into the Soviet market with representatives of Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev.Kraar, Louis (Jul. 31, 1989). "Top US Companies Move Into Russia." Fortune. Republished on CNN Money. Archived from the original.
Kazakhgate trial In the Kazakhgate trial, Giffen asserted that he was acting with the approval of the Central Intelligence Agency, which refused to release secret papers relating to these activities.Winnett, Robert (Aug. 13, 2010). "George Clooney Film Inspiration 'Mr. Kazakhstan' Finally Brought to Justice." The Telegraph. Archived from the original. 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.LeVine, Steve (Nov. 19, 2010). "James Giffen Telling the Truth?" Foreign Policy. Archived from the original.
Giffen eventually pleaded guilty to a tax misdemeanor and paid $25; the other charges, which could have carried a penalty of several decades in prison, were dropped. 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.
Personal life and death Giffen died in Manhattan on October 29, 2022, at the age of 81.
Fictional Portrayal The character Danny Dalton from 2005 film Syriana, played by Tim Blake Nelson, was loosely based on James Giffen.
Publications Books The Legal and Practical Aspects of Trade with the Soviet Union. New York: Frederick A. Praeger, Inc. (1969). Introduction by U.S. Senator Walter F. Mondale. Articles "Developing a Market Program for the U.S.S.R." Columbia Journal of World Business, vol. 8, no. 4 (Winter 1973), pp. 61–68. . "US-Soviet Trade: Political Realities and Future Potential," with Michael V. Forrestal. Columbia Journal of World Business, vol. 18, no. 4 (Winter 1983), pp. 29–35. .
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External links Kazakhgate: The Incredible Story of James Giffen, by Understanding Politics (2021), via YouTube