Businessman close to Putin paid for part of Donald Trump Jr's wedding celebration
An investigation has revealed that Russian businessman Umar Kremlev paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in expenses for Donald Trump Jr's three-day wedding celebration in the Bahamas.
Source: the investigation by ProPublica
Details: According to ProPublica, Kremlev paid for the private island where the reception was held and the guests stayed. Renting the island costs about US$100,000 a day. He also paid around US$70,000 for the fireworks display through the company organising it, and his team helped organise the event.
The funds were provided via IB Challenger, a Dubai-based company linked to the International Boxing Association (IBA), which is headed by Kremlev. The IBA itself has said it did not pay for any of the expenses associated with the celebration.
Trump Jr and Bettina Anderson married privately in a ceremony attended by 18 guests. Around 50 people were at the three-day celebration, including Kremlev, Eric Trump and Jared Kushner.
A spokesperson for Trump Jr did not deny that Kremlev had paid the expenses and described him as a personal friend, stressing that there is no business relationship between them. Kremlev's press service also said that he has never discussed political issues with any of his American friends and acquaintances.
Kremlev has headed the IBA since 2020. The association was previously funded by Russian energy giant Gazprom. Ukraine has imposed sanctions on the businessman, citing, among other things, his ties to Russian ruler Vladimir Putin and the Russian security services.
Background: In September 2025, Trump Jr spoke at an IBA conference in Istanbul alongside Kremlev, where he criticised the participation of trans women in women's sport.
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