Russian oligarch funds Donald Trump Jr.'s Bahamas wedding
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Records show that Umar Kremlev, a Russian businessman linked to President Vladimir Putin, paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for Donald Trump Jr.'s three-day wedding in the Bahamas, raising concerns among security officials.
Donald Trump Jr.'s three-day wedding in the Bahamas was largely financed by Russian oligarch Umar Kremlev, according to documents and interviews reviewed by ProPublica. Kremlev covered major costs, including renting a private island, a fireworks display and other high-ticket items, through a Dubai-based entity linked to the International Boxing Association (IBA), which he heads.
The guest list of about 50 included Trump family members such as Jared Kushner and Eric Trump, as well as a sizable contingent of Russian attendees associated with Kremlev. Trump Jr. later described the event as a small, private gathering on his podcast.
Former FBI counterintelligence official Frank Montoya Jr. warned that accepting such a gift could create an obligation, noting that Russian oligarchs often act in coordination with their government. Former National Security Council counterintelligence director Holden Triplett said money is a common method used by Russian intelligence to gain access to U.S. officials and their families.
Kremlev, who leads the IBA and has received funding from state-owned Gazprom, was recently honored by President Putin and traveled with a Russian delegation to China. He is under Ukrainian sanctions for his ties to Russian security services. A spokesperson for Trump Jr. said Kremlev is a personal friend met through a mutual hunting acquaintance, while Kremlev’s press office described the relationship as friendly and non-political.
The financing of the wedding adds to ongoing scrutiny of Trump Jr.'s contacts with Russian individuals, a topic that has been investigated since the 2016 election interference probe.