A Russian businessman described by DW as having close ties to the Kremlin paid for parts of celebrations held after Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding to Bettina Trump, the couple confirmed Monday. The festivities took place in the Bahamas following the couple’s wedding in May.
The confirmation followed reporting by ProPublica, which said Umar Kremlev spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on the celebrations. According to the report, Kremlev rented a private island for about $100,000 per night and paid for fireworks said to have cost roughly $70,000.
In an Instagram post cosigned by her husband, Bettina Trump said Kremlev, whom they called their “dear friend,” had “very generously hosted two incredible nights” of festivities. The couple described the contribution as an “extraordinarily generous wedding gift” and said they remained grateful for it.
The couple said Bettina had married Trump Jr. in a private ceremony attended only by family. They said the Bahamas weekend had been planned as a gathering with friends before their original wedding arrangements changed, and that they decided to marry before attending the already scheduled event. They rejected suggestions that Kremlev’s role had a political motive, saying friendship and generosity should not automatically be viewed as having an agenda.
Kremlev heads the International Boxing Association. The International Olympic Committee ended its relationship with the organization after repeated warnings concerning financial governance and ethical issues, according to DW. Russian investigative outlet Proekt reported that Kremlev is originally from Tajikistan and began his career as a mid-level boxing promoter.
Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded Kremlev the Order of Friendship in April, DW reported. Trump Jr. has previously faced scrutiny over Russian connections, including a 2016 meeting with a Russian attorney. A Senate Intelligence Committee report concluded that the Russian government sought to influence that year’s US election in favor of Donald Trump.