Russian boxing chief says Donald Trump Jr. repaid funds for Bahamas wedding
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Umar Kremlev, head of the International Boxing Association, claimed Donald Trump Jr. reimbursed him for expenses related to the Trump wedding in the Bahamas, while expressing confusion over the repayment.
Umar Kremlev, president of the International Boxing Association, told reporters in Istanbul that Donald Trump Jr. had repaid money he spent on the Trump wedding celebration in the Bahamas. Kremlev said he did not understand why the repayment was made, likening it to invoicing a guest after a visit and calling such a request "ridiculous."
According to a ProPublica review, Kremlev covered hundreds of thousands of dollars in costs for the three-day wedding, including rental of a private island and a fireworks display, using funds from an entity linked to the boxing association in Dubai. Neither Kremlev nor the Trump family provided documentation of the alleged repayment.
President Donald Trump later said the financial support was "totally allowed" and that his son had returned the money, describing the practice as common for wedding gifts. Bettina Trump, the bride, referred to Kremlev as a "dear friend" who hosted two post-wedding celebrations.
Kremlev dismissed media scrutiny, calling the event a "shared event" and saying it had been "blown out of proportion." He emphasized that the relationship between him and Trump Jr. is personal and not political.
Kremlev, who received Russia’s Order of Friendship from President Vladimir Putin, has a background in Russian sports administration and previously served prison sentences for extortion and battery. He has overseen the boxing federation’s relocation of operations to Russia and its loss of IOC recognition in 2023.