A Russian oligarch with close ties to President Vladimir Putin reportedly contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars toward events surrounding Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding to Bettina Anderson earlier this year. According to records reviewed by ProPublica and sources familiar with the matter, Umar Kremlev covered a substantial portion of the post-wedding expenses held on an exclusive island in the Bahamas in May. The payments allegedly covered a private island rental and a fireworks display, originating from an entity linked to the International Boxing Association, where Kremlev serves as president. When questioned by reporters, neither the White House nor a spokesperson for Donald Trump Jr. disputed the financial contributions from Kremlev. Instead, they pointed to an Instagram post published by Anderson, who described the gesture as a generous wedding gift from a friend. Anderson stated that their official wedding ceremony was attended exclusively by family, while Kremlev generously hosted two subsequent nights of celebrations. She criticized efforts to portray the personal celebration as political or sinister due to the origins of their friend. Representatives for Trump Jr. emphasized that he has no business relationship with Kremlev, noting that the two men met through a mutual acquaintance in the hunting community and bonded over their shared interests in boxing and the outdoors. Kremlev’s press office confirmed the friendly relationship between the two men, stating they first met a couple of years prior. ProPublica reported that Kremlev recently traveled to China alongside Putin’s delegation and received the state honor of the Order of Friendship from the Russian leader. President Donald Trump did not attend the wedding festivities in May, citing government responsibilities and duties related to the conflict in Iran.
Source: abcnews.com
