Here is an updated reporting on the scandal around ex-president of the United States Bill Clinton, his friend Frank Guistra (a canadian financier and businessman) and Kazakhstan, where Guistra got a lucrative contract in uranium production after the visit to Almaty together with Clinton. The affair is even more spicy due to the fact that the ex-president’s wife is running for the post of U.S. president.

Leading Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail says that a deal maker goes on the defence:

Guistra teamed with Clinton in a high-profile philanthropic venture. He donated $100-million to the Clinton Foundation’s effort to aid developing countries, as well as a promise to give half of his future earnings. He also rallied the mining industry to commit a further $150-million to the cause. Mr. Clinton provided the star power, connections and an organization able to follow through on the charitable commitments.

As it was already reported, Clinton may have helped the mining magnate secure resource properties, including a lucrative uranium deal in Kazakhstan and valuable petroleum assets in Colombia. In both cases, Mr. Clinton introduced Mr. Giustra to the president of the country before the asset sales were completed. Now Guistra sends an email to scores of friends and colleagues in the mining industry disavowing the allegation of his step back:

“I’ve made no secret about my desire to continue to do business. I’ve actually advertised that I’m doing it for the purpose of giving those profits away. If anybody has a problem with that, well I’m sorry.”, he wrote. In two weeks, Clinton and Guistra are set to stage a charity event in Toronto with a featured stars like John Travolta and Robin Williams.

Moreover, the businessman insists that he is a true philantropist, and makes money only in order to spend them on charity. So does Clinton, saying in his statement that “Frank is a great friend and an inspiring philanthropist, whose generosity will benefit millions of people in need. We share a commitment to improving the lives of people throughout the world”. The Clinton Giustra Sustainable Growth Initiative (CGSGI) is a new entity that unites the two friends.

“I’m choosing to give my money away as part of the CGSGI effort and that’s the way I’m going to live my life. People can think whatever they want about it,” Giustra says.