Kremlin-linked oligarch partly funded Trump's son's Bahamas wedding
Investigative outlet ProPublica reports that Umar Kremlev, head of the International Boxing Association, covered part of the costs for Donald Trump Jr.'s wedding in the Bahamas. Payments were routed through a Dubai-registered company.
Investigative journalism organization ProPublica has found that Umar Kremlev, an oligarch close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, helped pay for part of the wedding expenses of US President Donald Trump's son. The wedding took place in the Bahamas this past May.
According to documents and three informed sources, Kremlev, who heads the International Boxing Association (IBA), covered roughly $100,000 per night for renting the island where the wedding was held, as well as $70,000 for fireworks and other event-related expenses. The payments were made through a Dubai-registered company linked to the IBA.
ProPublica notes that Trump Jr. could easily have covered these costs himself — Forbes has estimated his wealth at $300 million.
An unusual guest list
Trump Jr. said the wedding was attended by only about 50 close friends. However, the guest list included a large group of Russian-speaking attendees whose presence surprised other invitees, ProPublica reported. Among them was Kremlev himself, who has limited English skills. Meanwhile, some of Trump Jr.'s longtime friends reportedly did not receive invitations. President Trump himself did not attend the wedding.
A representative for Trump Jr. did not deny that Kremlev had partly funded the wedding, describing the Russian oligarch as the groom's personal friend, noting their shared interest in boxing and outdoor recreation. Kremlev's press service stated that the IBA itself had not covered the wedding costs, but declined to comment on the payments from the Dubai-registered entity.
A controversial past
According to Russian outlet Projekt, Kremlev used the surname Lutfullojev until 2010, before which he was twice convicted of extortion and assault. He has led the IBA since 2020, during which time the organization has received tens of millions of dollars from Gazprom. In 2023, the International Olympic Committee stripped the IBA of the right to organize Olympic boxing tournaments, citing among other things a lack of financial transparency.
