{"id":231,"date":"2026-09-14T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-14T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dwts-elimination.myftp.biz\/?p=231"},"modified":"2026-09-14T09:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-09-14T09:00:00","slug":"donald-trump-jr-s-wedding-bankrolled-by-putin-linked-russian-oligarch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dwts-elimination.myftp.biz\/?p=231","title":{"rendered":"Donald Trump Jr.\u2019s Wedding Bankrolled by Putin-Linked Russian Oligarch"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>On May 24, Donald Trump Jr. was celebrating in the Bahamas, as scantily clad dancers in stilettos and sailor caps performed for him and his guests. It was the last night of his wedding, a lavish, three-day party held across a pair of ultra-exclusive private islands. A five-tier funfetti cake had been airlifted in from Florida, and helicopters and seaplanes descended on the islands before guests settled into their oceanfront villas. That night on the beach, Trump Jr. lifted his bride into the air while fireworks launched from a barge over the sea.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was everything we dreamed of and more,\u201d his wife later wrote on Instagram.<\/p>\n<p>That dream was heavily funded by a secret benefactor: Umar Kremlev, a Russian oligarch close to President Vladimir Putin.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-propublica-lead-in bb--size-small-right p-bb--size-small-right\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-paper-trail-podcast\">\u201cPaper Trail\u201d Podcast<\/h3>\n<p>Learn more about this story on ProPublica\u2019s podcast \u201cPaper Trail.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-propublica-html\">\n\t<iframe data-testid=\"embed-iframe\" style=\"border-radius:12px\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/episode\/3LifbiVOia90iezd9naFcx?utm_source=generator&amp;theme=0&amp;si=232ab1ff0ee54eb6\" width=\"100%\" height=\"352\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/iframe><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Kremlev footed the bill for hundreds of thousands of dollars of wedding expenses, according to records reviewed by ProPublica and interviews with three people familiar with the event. The oligarch paid to rent out one of the private islands, where a reception was held and where guests slept. He also covered other big-ticket items, like the fireworks show, and his team helped plan the event. Kremlev is the head of the International Boxing Association, a scandal-plagued sports group that has been financed by the Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom. The wedding payments came from an IBA-affiliated entity in Dubai that the boxing association uses for financial transactions.<\/p>\n<p>The guest list numbered around 50. It included Trump Jr.\u2019s brother-in-law Jared Kushner, Eric Trump \u2014 and Kremlev, an imposing man with a shaved head who speaks limited English. The oligarch was part of a large group whose presence puzzled other attendees. They sometimes stood off by themselves, speaking Russian.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was really small, like, just really close friends,\u201d Trump Jr. later said on his podcast. \u201cTried to keep it really tight. And it was just awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Kremlev\u2019s previously unreported relationship with Trump Jr. represents an extraordinary development: a member of Putin\u2019s circle financially supporting the president\u2019s son and gaining intimate access to the Trump family. For a decade, Putin\u2019s government, regarded as a chief adversary of the U.S., has been accused of efforts to influence American elections. Attempts by Russia to make inroads with the Trumps before the 2016 election exploded into controversy that dogged much of the president\u2019s first term.<\/p>\n<p>National security experts expressed alarm at Trump Jr. accepting the oligarch\u2019s largesse, saying it raised an urgent question: What motivated Kremlev to spend a fortune cultivating the connection?\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf I\u2019m paying for your wedding, at some point, you\u2019re going to owe me something,\u201d said Frank Montoya Jr., a retired career FBI official who held senior counterintelligence roles. Oligarchs like Kremlev often act in coordination with the Russian government. While it\u2019s unclear if that happened here, Trump Jr. put himself in a precarious position, Montoya said. \u201cThis should be unthinkable for the son of the president. End of story.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Holden Triplett, who served as Trump\u2019s counterintelligence director on the National Security Council during his first term, said Russian intelligence frequently seeks to build ties with U.S. government officials and their family members. \u201cMoney is a tried-and-true method to gain access,\u201d said Triplett, who also worked for the FBI in Moscow.<\/p>\n<p>In the days leading up to Trump Jr.\u2019s wedding, Kremlev was in China as part of the delegation accompanying Putin, according to Chinese state media. The month before, Putin had bestowed him with a state honor, the Order of Friendship. The Ukrainian government has imposed sanctions on Kremlev personally, citing his closeness to Putin and Russian security services.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s not clear why Kremlev helped pay for Trump Jr.\u2019s wedding. The men appear to have met only recently. Public reporting suggests Trump Jr. could have afforded it himself, with Forbes recently estimating his net worth at roughly $300 million.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In response to detailed questions, a spokesperson for Trump Jr. did not dispute the wedding payments from Kremlev. \u201cUmar is a personal friend of Don,\u201d he said. The spokesman said that Kremlev is \u201cnot someone he has a business relationship with\u201d and that the men met through a mutual friend in the hunting world and bonded over their love of boxing and the outdoors.<\/p>\n<p>A spokesperson for Trump Jr.\u2019s brother Eric said of Kremlev: \u201cEric has absolutely no clue who this person is, nor has never heard his name.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In a statement, Kremlev\u2019s press office said, \u201cMr. Kremlev and Mr. Trump Jr have a friendly relationship\u201d and they first met \u201ca couple of years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The press office described Kremlev as a businessman and philanthropist, adding, \u201cMr. Kremlev has never discussed political matters with any of his American friends and acquaintances,\u201d including Trump Jr. They said the boxing organization itself did not incur expenses for the wedding but did not comment on the payments from the Dubai entity. The press office also said that when Putin and Kremlev were in China recently, Kremlev was not part of Putin\u2019s \u201cofficial delegation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Kushner, who has been helping lead the U.S. government\u2019s negotiations with Russia over Ukraine, did not respond to requests for comment. The White House and the Russian government did not respond either.<\/p>\n<p>The revelations come as Trump Jr. has emerged as a political power center in his own right. Beloved by the MAGA base, he reportedly played an active role in vetting White House cabinet picks for Trump\u2019s second term and was dubbed his father\u2019s \u201cmost essential political adviser\u201d by The Wall Street Journal. \u201cI certainly don\u2019t think I\u2019d be sitting here as the VP nominee without Don\u2019s help,\u201d Vice President JD Vance told the outlet in late 2024.<\/p>\n<p>This account is based on records and interviews with dozens of current and former IBA officials and contractors, wedding attendees and other people in Trump Jr.\u2019s and Kremlev\u2019s circles.<\/p>\n<p>Trump Jr. exchanged vows with socialite Bettina Anderson on a private island that was featured in \u201cPirates of the Caribbean\u201d and the 2006 James Bond movie \u201cCasino Royale.\u201d They had their first dance on a second private island nearby that can rent for around $100,000 a night, paid for by Kremlev. The company that put on the fireworks display charges around $70,000 for such shows. (Kremlev did not attend the ceremony itself, which was held on the first day and had just 18 guests, Trump Jr.\u2019s spokesperson said.)<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped bb--size-medium wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex p-bb--size-medium p-gallery--desktop-horizontal p-gallery--mobile-horizontal\">\n<div class=\"p-gallery__row\">\n<figure style=\"--gallery-image-ratio:0.6653\" class=\"wp-block-image size-propublica-position-medium\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" js-autosizes=\"\" height=\"1130\" width=\"752\" data-id=\"97763\" src=\"https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Laura-Gordon-Don-Bettina-Fireworks_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?w=752\" alt=\"A man and woman stand on a beach as fireworks explode above the water.\" class=\"wp-image-97763\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Laura-Gordon-Don-Bettina-Fireworks_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?w=1996 1996w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Laura-Gordon-Don-Bettina-Fireworks_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=200,300 200w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Laura-Gordon-Don-Bettina-Fireworks_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=768,1154 768w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Laura-Gordon-Don-Bettina-Fireworks_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=681,1024 681w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Laura-Gordon-Don-Bettina-Fireworks_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=1022,1536 1022w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Laura-Gordon-Don-Bettina-Fireworks_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=1363,2048 1363w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Laura-Gordon-Don-Bettina-Fireworks_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=863,1297 863w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Laura-Gordon-Don-Bettina-Fireworks_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=422,634 422w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Laura-Gordon-Don-Bettina-Fireworks_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=552,830 552w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Laura-Gordon-Don-Bettina-Fireworks_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=558,839 558w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Laura-Gordon-Don-Bettina-Fireworks_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=527,792 527w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Laura-Gordon-Don-Bettina-Fireworks_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=752,1130 752w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Laura-Gordon-Don-Bettina-Fireworks_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=1149,1727 1149w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Laura-Gordon-Don-Bettina-Fireworks_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=556,836 556w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Laura-Gordon-Don-Bettina-Fireworks_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=1112,1671 1112w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Laura-Gordon-Don-Bettina-Fireworks_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=1065,1600 1065w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Laura-Gordon-Don-Bettina-Fireworks_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=400,601 400w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Laura-Gordon-Don-Bettina-Fireworks_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=800,1202 800w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Laura-Gordon-Don-Bettina-Fireworks_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=1200,1804 1200w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Laura-Gordon-Don-Bettina-Fireworks_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=1600,2405 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 752px) 100vw, 752px\"\/><figcaption class=\"attribution\"><span class=\"attribution__caption\">Donald Trump Jr. and his wife, Bettina Anderson, at their wedding, watching fireworks paid for by Umar Kremlev.<\/span> <span class=\"attribution__credit\">Laura Gordon Photography via Lewis Miller Design<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure style=\"--gallery-image-ratio:0.795\" class=\"wp-block-image size-propublica-position-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" js-autosizes=\"\" height=\"946\" width=\"752\" data-id=\"97777\" src=\"https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Hello-Don-Bettina-Laura-Gordon_junkanoo-e1789140640209.jpg?w=752\" alt=\"Donald Trump Jr. wears a multi-colored Junkanoo headpiece while dancing with Bettina Anderson.\" class=\"wp-image-97777\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Hello-Don-Bettina-Laura-Gordon_junkanoo-e1789140640209.jpg?w=954 954w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Hello-Don-Bettina-Laura-Gordon_junkanoo-e1789140640209.jpg?resize=239,300 239w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Hello-Don-Bettina-Laura-Gordon_junkanoo-e1789140640209.jpg?resize=768,966 768w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Hello-Don-Bettina-Laura-Gordon_junkanoo-e1789140640209.jpg?resize=814,1024 814w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Hello-Don-Bettina-Laura-Gordon_junkanoo-e1789140640209.jpg?resize=863,1086 863w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Hello-Don-Bettina-Laura-Gordon_junkanoo-e1789140640209.jpg?resize=422,531 422w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Hello-Don-Bettina-Laura-Gordon_junkanoo-e1789140640209.jpg?resize=552,694 552w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Hello-Don-Bettina-Laura-Gordon_junkanoo-e1789140640209.jpg?resize=558,702 558w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Hello-Don-Bettina-Laura-Gordon_junkanoo-e1789140640209.jpg?resize=527,663 527w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Hello-Don-Bettina-Laura-Gordon_junkanoo-e1789140640209.jpg?resize=752,946 752w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Hello-Don-Bettina-Laura-Gordon_junkanoo-e1789140640209.jpg?resize=556,699 556w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Hello-Don-Bettina-Laura-Gordon_junkanoo-e1789140640209.jpg?resize=400,503 400w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Hello-Don-Bettina-Laura-Gordon_junkanoo-e1789140640209.jpg?resize=800,1006 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 752px) 100vw, 752px\"\/><figcaption class=\"attribution\"><span class=\"attribution__caption\">The magazine Hello! shared an image of Trump Jr. wearing a Junkanoo headpiece while dancing with his new bride.<\/span> <span class=\"attribution__credit\">Laura Gordon Photography\/Hello!<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>The atmosphere was Monte Carlo meets frat party \u2014 helicopters in and out, a beachside DJ set, beer pong tournaments. One day, the men went spearfishing. Artisans at the London fashion house Safiyaa spent 150 hours embroidering Anderson\u2019s bespoke silk reception outfit. The president\u2019s son had undergone treatment to better define his jawline for the occasion.<\/p>\n<p>Some longtime friends of Trump Jr. told associates they were disappointed not to be invited, though a few of his closest business partners \u2014 executives at the Trump family crypto company, World Liberty Financial, and the venture capital firm 1789 Capital \u2014 did make the cut. President Trump himself skipped it. (\u201cHe\u2019d like me to go, but it\u2019s going to be just a small, little private affair,\u201d the president told reporters beforehand. \u201cI said, you know, this is not good timing for me.\u201d) But many of the guests were immediate family of the bride and groom.<\/p>\n<p>That made the large contingent of Russians all the more conspicuous. \u201cWhat are they doing here?\u201d one person recalled thinking. At least one of the Russian guests had been with Kremlev on his China trip: Alexander Lagutin, a businessperson who has served in senior roles at a Russian defense contractor and a state-backed energy company. Kremlev\u2019s right hand at the IBA, Elena Sobol, attended the wedding too.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Since the wedding, the Trumps have released scores of photos and videos of the festivities. While they show many of the guests, the Russians have been absent from all of them. (The top of Kremlev\u2019s head is visible in the back of one group photo posted on Instagram by a friend of the bride.) After the party was over, on his \u201cTriggered\u201d podcast, Trump Jr. emphasized the event\u2019s privacy: \u201cThe people that were there \u2014 if you\u2019re on that list, you weren\u2019t talking.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<p>In 2009, Umar Kremlev did not yet exist.<\/p>\n<p>He was in his late 20s, with a criminal record for extortion and battery, still going by his birth name, Umar Lutfulloyev, according to the Russian independent news outlet Proekt. But he was about to rapidly ascend in Russia to a position of wealth and influence, with the help of a powerful friend. (\u201cMr. Kremlev has a completely clean legal record,\u201d his press office said.)<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-propublica-position-large bb--size-large p-bb--size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" js-autosizes=\"\" height=\"738\" width=\"1149\" src=\"https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2022-09-10T125032Z_714935090_RC2CEW9LEJ7D_RTRMADP_3_RUSSIA-PUTIN-MARTIAL-ARTS_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?w=1149\" alt=\"Russian President Vladimir Putin leans into a conversation with Umar Kremlev.\" class=\"wp-image-97806\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2022-09-10T125032Z_714935090_RC2CEW9LEJ7D_RTRMADP_3_RUSSIA-PUTIN-MARTIAL-ARTS_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?w=3000 3000w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2022-09-10T125032Z_714935090_RC2CEW9LEJ7D_RTRMADP_3_RUSSIA-PUTIN-MARTIAL-ARTS_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=300,193 300w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2022-09-10T125032Z_714935090_RC2CEW9LEJ7D_RTRMADP_3_RUSSIA-PUTIN-MARTIAL-ARTS_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=768,494 768w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2022-09-10T125032Z_714935090_RC2CEW9LEJ7D_RTRMADP_3_RUSSIA-PUTIN-MARTIAL-ARTS_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=1024,658 1024w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2022-09-10T125032Z_714935090_RC2CEW9LEJ7D_RTRMADP_3_RUSSIA-PUTIN-MARTIAL-ARTS_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=1536,987 1536w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2022-09-10T125032Z_714935090_RC2CEW9LEJ7D_RTRMADP_3_RUSSIA-PUTIN-MARTIAL-ARTS_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=2048,1316 2048w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2022-09-10T125032Z_714935090_RC2CEW9LEJ7D_RTRMADP_3_RUSSIA-PUTIN-MARTIAL-ARTS_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=863,555 863w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2022-09-10T125032Z_714935090_RC2CEW9LEJ7D_RTRMADP_3_RUSSIA-PUTIN-MARTIAL-ARTS_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=422,271 422w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2022-09-10T125032Z_714935090_RC2CEW9LEJ7D_RTRMADP_3_RUSSIA-PUTIN-MARTIAL-ARTS_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=552,355 552w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2022-09-10T125032Z_714935090_RC2CEW9LEJ7D_RTRMADP_3_RUSSIA-PUTIN-MARTIAL-ARTS_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=558,359 558w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2022-09-10T125032Z_714935090_RC2CEW9LEJ7D_RTRMADP_3_RUSSIA-PUTIN-MARTIAL-ARTS_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=527,339 527w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2022-09-10T125032Z_714935090_RC2CEW9LEJ7D_RTRMADP_3_RUSSIA-PUTIN-MARTIAL-ARTS_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=752,483 752w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2022-09-10T125032Z_714935090_RC2CEW9LEJ7D_RTRMADP_3_RUSSIA-PUTIN-MARTIAL-ARTS_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=1149,738 1149w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2022-09-10T125032Z_714935090_RC2CEW9LEJ7D_RTRMADP_3_RUSSIA-PUTIN-MARTIAL-ARTS_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=556,357 556w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2022-09-10T125032Z_714935090_RC2CEW9LEJ7D_RTRMADP_3_RUSSIA-PUTIN-MARTIAL-ARTS_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=1112,715 1112w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2022-09-10T125032Z_714935090_RC2CEW9LEJ7D_RTRMADP_3_RUSSIA-PUTIN-MARTIAL-ARTS_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=2000,1285 2000w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2022-09-10T125032Z_714935090_RC2CEW9LEJ7D_RTRMADP_3_RUSSIA-PUTIN-MARTIAL-ARTS_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=400,257 400w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2022-09-10T125032Z_714935090_RC2CEW9LEJ7D_RTRMADP_3_RUSSIA-PUTIN-MARTIAL-ARTS_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=800,514 800w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2022-09-10T125032Z_714935090_RC2CEW9LEJ7D_RTRMADP_3_RUSSIA-PUTIN-MARTIAL-ARTS_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=1200,771 1200w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2022-09-10T125032Z_714935090_RC2CEW9LEJ7D_RTRMADP_3_RUSSIA-PUTIN-MARTIAL-ARTS_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?resize=1600,1028 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1149px) 100vw, 1149px\"\/><figcaption class=\"attribution\"><span class=\"attribution__caption\">Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, with Umar Kremlev, during an event in Moscow in September 2022<\/span> <span class=\"attribution__credit\">Sputnik\/Reuters<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In 2010, he changed his name to Kremlev. He soon joined a Russian government-backed biker gang called the Night Wolves, eventually taking a leadership role, according to news reports. That is what first brought him close to Alexei Rubezhnoi, who now leads Putin\u2019s presidential security service, Proekt reported. In 2017, Kremlev took over the Russian Boxing Federation, after Rubezhnoi personally intervened to put him at the helm.<\/p>\n<p>In 2020, Kremlev became president of the IBA. The association was something akin to FIFA but for boxing and had long overseen the sport in the Olympics. But it had been beset by corruption allegations and was on the brink of insolvency. Kremlev brought money to the table from Gazprom, the state-owned company that operates as an arm of Putin\u2019s government. Gazprom publicly became the IBA\u2019s financial backer, filling its coffers with tens of millions of dollars.<\/p>\n<p>Former high-level IBA officials said that Kremlev had a clear political agenda. \u201cUmar is guided by Putin. It was using the sport for soft political power,\u201d a former IBA board member told ProPublica. \u201cIt\u2019s geopolitics. That it\u2019s boxing is just happenstance.\u201d Kremlev, 43, is also heavily involved in an organization called Healthy Fatherland, run by his 23-year-old wife\u2019s twin sister. The group \u2014 which promotes healthy eating and youth sports \u2014 is under Ukrainian sanctions for its alleged role in a program of abducting Ukrainian children from occupied territories and relocating them under the guise of \u201crehabilitation.\u201d (Healthy Fatherland did not respond to a request for comment.)<\/p>\n<p>Kremlev\u2019s cozy relationship with the government has made him rich. Putin used the levers of the state to make Kremlev a dominant player in the Russian sports betting industry, according to Proekt, and one of his companies was chosen to operate the national lottery. After Putin nationalized Russia\u2019s largest car dealership company in 2023, Kremlev became the owner of that too.<\/p>\n<p>He now flaunts that wealth through his boisterous public persona. In one video Kremlev posted on social media, he surprises a young mother by giving her a free car. In another, he criticizes his young female aide\u2019s outfit as not feminine enough and makes her change. He shadowboxes with ostriches and brings in celebrities like Rick Ross and Naomi Campbell for IBA events; he praises Stalin and rides private jets.<\/p>\n<p>Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the U.S. began to indict Russian oligarchs and seize yachts and other assets. Kremlev repeatedly told associates he was worried about being targeted by a U.S. government probe, according to a person close to IBA leadership. \u201cHe was very afraid of American sanctions,\u201d the person added. (Kremlev does not appear on public U.S. sanction lists.)<\/p>\n<p>With the business environment in Europe growing more hostile to Russia, Kremlev moved much of the IBA\u2019s operations from Switzerland to the United Arab Emirates. A new Dubai entity, IB Challenger, would later pay wedding expenses for Trump Jr. The current sources of the IBA\u2019s funds are murky, and, in recent years, top executives have given conflicting accounts of the status of its relationship with Gazprom. (Kremlev\u2019s press office told ProPublica the IBA\u2019s sponsorship contract with Gazprom \u201cexpired long ago.\u201d) People close to the organization said they understood that its money still comes from Russia.<\/p>\n<p>In 2023, the International Olympic Committee stripped Kremlev\u2019s IBA of its role organizing Olympic boxing. It has cited a host of governance issues and the group\u2019s refusal to \u201ctransparently explain the sources of its financing or to explain its full financial dependency, at the time, on a single state-owned company.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>It was a major setback that deprived the IBA of a key source of its international influence. Kremlev has raged against the Olympic committee ever since and has said that his IBA predecessor, who he blames for the problems, \u201cmust be shot.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Kremlev saw a potential ally in President Trump. After Trump\u2019s second inauguration, in January 2025, Kremlev sent an open letter to the president asking him to look into the Olympic committee\u2019s actions in advance of the 2028 Los Angeles Games. \u201cWe look forward with great optimism to the possibility of working together to make the Olympic movement great again,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n<p>In September 2025, the IBA brought in Trump Jr. for a panel discussion in Istanbul about boxing. With his then-girlfriend, Anderson, sitting offstage, he criticized transgender women competing in women\u2019s sports and reminisced about watching Saturday night fights as a child. Trump Jr. shared the stage with Kremlev, the boxer Manny Pacquiao and Muhammad Ali\u2019s daughter Rasheda. (Trump Jr.\u2019s spokesperson said he was not paid for the appearance and was already in Turkey for an unrelated event.)<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-propublica-position-medium bb--size-medium p-bb--size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" js-autosizes=\"\" height=\"501\" width=\"752\" src=\"https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/DonJr-Kremlev_IBA_34dd69.jpg?w=752\" alt=\"Umar Kremlev shakes hands with Donald Trump Jr., who is holding a model of a boxing ring.\" class=\"wp-image-97801\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/DonJr-Kremlev_IBA_34dd69.jpg?w=1280 1280w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/DonJr-Kremlev_IBA_34dd69.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/DonJr-Kremlev_IBA_34dd69.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/DonJr-Kremlev_IBA_34dd69.jpg?resize=1024,682 1024w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/DonJr-Kremlev_IBA_34dd69.jpg?resize=863,575 863w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/DonJr-Kremlev_IBA_34dd69.jpg?resize=422,281 422w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/DonJr-Kremlev_IBA_34dd69.jpg?resize=552,368 552w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/DonJr-Kremlev_IBA_34dd69.jpg?resize=558,372 558w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/DonJr-Kremlev_IBA_34dd69.jpg?resize=527,351 527w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/DonJr-Kremlev_IBA_34dd69.jpg?resize=752,501 752w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/DonJr-Kremlev_IBA_34dd69.jpg?resize=1149,766 1149w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/DonJr-Kremlev_IBA_34dd69.jpg?resize=459,306 459w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/DonJr-Kremlev_IBA_34dd69.jpg?resize=556,371 556w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/DonJr-Kremlev_IBA_34dd69.jpg?resize=1112,741 1112w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/DonJr-Kremlev_IBA_34dd69.jpg?resize=400,267 400w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/DonJr-Kremlev_IBA_34dd69.jpg?resize=800,533 800w, https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/DonJr-Kremlev_IBA_34dd69.jpg?resize=1200,800 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 752px) 100vw, 752px\"\/><figcaption class=\"attribution\"><span class=\"attribution__caption\">Kremlev hosted Trump Jr. at an event in Istanbul in September 2025.<\/span> <span class=\"attribution__credit\">International Boxing Association<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The president\u2019s son had reason to be attuned to the sensitivity of cozying up with a Putin associate, especially while his father navigates the Russia-Ukraine war. Trump Jr.\u2019s June 2016 meeting with a Russian attorney in Trump Tower became a major focus of the Robert Mueller investigation.<\/p>\n<p>The Trump Tower meeting was arranged after an email offering Trump Jr. damaging information about Hillary Clinton as \u201cpart of Russia and its government\u2019s support for Mr. Trump.\u201d Trump Jr. famously responded, \u201cIf it\u2019s what you say I love it especially later in the summer.\u201d Trump Jr. later dismissed the matter as a \u201cwitch hunt,\u201d and the Mueller report concluded that there was not enough evidence to convict him of a crime.<\/p>\n<p>Recently, Kremlev has been working to expand into the U.S. market. In July, his group hosted a bare-knuckle boxing event in Miami, a chance to showcase a particularly bloody form of the sport in which contenders fight without gloves. But the debut was overshadowed when manosphere influencer Andrew Tate, who the IBA had brought in to host, was arrested by U.S. Marshals outside the arena. (Tate is facing rape and sex trafficking charges in the United Kingdom, which he has denied.)<\/p>\n<p>Much about Kremlev\u2019s relationship with Trump Jr., and where it is headed, remains unknown. In a press release after the Istanbul panel, the IBA hinted there was more to come.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPresident Kremlev and Donald Trump Jr made it clear \u2013 this alliance will not remain symbolic,\u201d the press release read. \u201cMore joint initiatives will follow.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/article\/donald-trump-jr-wedding-bankrolled-russian-oligarch-umar-kremlev-putin\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On May 24, Donald Trump Jr. was celebrating in the Bahamas, as scantily clad dancers in stilettos and sailor caps&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":232,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Laura-Gordon-Don-Bettina-Fireworks_maxHeight_3000_maxWidth_3000.jpg?w=752","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-231","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-1"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dwts-elimination.myftp.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/231","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dwts-elimination.myftp.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dwts-elimination.myftp.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dwts-elimination.myftp.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dwts-elimination.myftp.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=231"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dwts-elimination.myftp.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/231\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dwts-elimination.myftp.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/232"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dwts-elimination.myftp.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=231"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dwts-elimination.myftp.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=231"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dwts-elimination.myftp.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=231"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}