Umar Kremlev, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, paid for Donald Trump Jr and Bettina Anderson's Bahamas wedding festivities. Bettina put out a post on Instagram acknowledging Umar's ‘wedding gift’ after a ProPublica report noted that President Donald Trump's son ‘wedding’ was bankrolled by the Russian oligarch.
On her social media post, Bettina clarified that Kremlev had not paid for their wedding, but rather the weekend the couple spent in the Bahamas. Bettina and Donald Trump Jr got married in an intimate ceremony in Florida, which was attended by immediate family.
Bettina Anderson's Instagram post on wedding 'gift'
“Apparently our wedding is making headlines again, so a little clarity seems in order. Don and I got married privately on Friday, surrounded ONLY by our family. It was intimate, deeply personal and one of the most beautiful days of our lives. The weekend that followed had actually been planned well in advance as a fun weekend with friends. It was never intended to be our wedding weekend. When our original wedding plans changed, we simply decided to get married before it and arrived at an already planned weekend as newlyweds,” she wrote.
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{{/usCountry}}“Our dear friend Umar very generously hosted two incredible nights of celebrations for us AFTER our wedding. It was an extraordinarily generous wedding gift from a friend, and something for which we were and remain incredibly grateful. It’s unfortunate that something so personal and happy can be recast as something political or sinister simply because of who someone is or where they come from. Friendship doesn’t require a political motive. Generosity doesn’t automatically come with an agenda. And sometimes a wedding gift is simply a wedding gift. We are fortunate to have wonderful friends from all over the world, and we will never be embarrassed or apologetic about being grateful for them” Bettina added, sharing photos from the weekend.
Here's all you need to know about Umar Kremlev, his relationship with Donald Trump Jr and Bettina Anderson, and how much Putin's ally paid for the US president's son's wedding celebrations.
Who is Umar Kremlev?
Kremlev, 43, is from Tajikistan. At birth he was Lutfulloyev and changed his surname to Kremlev in 2010, when he was in his late twenties, as per independent Russian news organization Proekt. Before this, he was convicted of extortion in 2004 and battery three years later, as per TIME magazine.
The publication further reported that Kremlev went on to join Night Wolves, a notorious biker gang. It was this time that Kremlev reportedly met Alexei Rubezhnoi, who now leads Putin’s presidential security service. Reportedly, Putin is an honorary member of this biker group as well.
In 2015, Kremlev founded Patriot, a company promoting boxing matches. In 2017, he became the secretary of the International Boxing Association (IBA). Three years later, he became president of the IBA. Then, in 2024, he acquired Rolf, Russia's largest car dealership group.
When Kremlev was IBA president, Gazprom, Russia's state owned energy company became th financial backer for the boxing federation. He was also reportedly given the Order of Friendship by Putin. It was also reported that the oligarch had accompanied Putin to China, though it was later clarified that Kremlev was not part of the official delegation.
How much did Kremlev pay for Trump Jr's wedding bash?
As per the ProPublica report, part of Donald Trump Jr and Bettina Anderson's wedding bash included exchanging vows on a private island shown in Casino Royale and Pirates of the Caribbean. The couple then had their first dance on a second private island nearby that can be rented for about $100,000 a night, which was paid for by Kremlev. Further, the company behind the fireworks display charges around $70,000 for such shows.
How does Umar Kremlev know Trump Jr?
Kremlev has been publicly linked with President Donald Trump through the IBA. It remains unclear how Kremlev knows the Trump family.
The Russian oligarch has been appreciative of Trump's stance against transgender women participating in women's sports, TIME noted. Trump Jr was also part of an IBA panel in Istanbul, where he shared the stage with Kremlev.
The Russian oligarch's office said the two men had met a 'couple of years ago' and ‘have a friendly relationship’. The statement added Kremlev ‘has never discussed political matters with any of his American friends and acquaintances,’ including with Trump Jr.
A spokesperson for the president's son told the New York Times that the two had bonded over hunting and boxing after meeting through a mutual friend. The statement added that they were not in business with each other. ProPublica was told ‘Mr. Kremlev and Mr. Trump Jr have a friendly relationship.’