Gifting shares of stock is a way of paying back favors.
Podesta sat on the board of Joulle along with Senior Russian officials
http://www.breitbart.com/2016-presidential-race/2016/08/01/report-hillary-clintons-campaign-mgr-john-podesta-sat-board-company-bagged-35-million-putin-connected-russian-govt-fund-2/
My former congressman owned a bank in Russia with his partner, a former KGB guy.