Putin-linked Russian oligarch partly paid for Donald Trump Jr's wedding, wife confirms
Ethics watchdog groups said the gift could create the appearance of a conflict of interest given Kremlev’s links to Putin.
Donald Trump Jr's wife Bettina Trump has confirmed that their May wedding was partly funded by Umar Kremlev, a Russian oligarch with close ties to President Vladimir Putin.
In an Instagram statement attributed to the couple, they said Kremlev partially funded two nights of their three-day wedding celebrations on a private island in the Bahamas.
The statement came after investigative outlet ProPublica reported that Kremlev paid "hundreds of thousands of dollars" for the celebrations, including a roughly $70,000 fireworks display.
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"Our dear friend Umar very generously hosted two incredible nights of celebrations for us after our wedding," the couple said, describing it as a generous wedding gift from a friend. "Trump Jr is a private citizen, so accepting gifts from a foreign national is not illegal."
However, ethics watchdog groups said the gift could create the appearance of a conflict of interest given Kremlev's links to Putin.
"People don't just give hundreds of thousands of dollars to a random acquaintance without wanting something," said Jordan Libowitz, vice president of communications at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW).
Kremlev heads the International Boxing Association, which is funded by state-backed Russian energy company Gazprom. The Olympic Committee suspended the organisation partly over its failure to report its ties to Gazprom.
According to ProPublica, Kremlev also visited China with Putin earlier this year and received Russia's Order of Friendship, a top state honour.
A spokesperson for Trump Jr said the two men are personal friends and have no business relationship. Kremlev's office also said they have a friendly relationship and met several years ago.
Trump Jr and Bettina married on a private island in the Bahamas before holding a two-day celebration on another island that rents for about $100,000 a night. Kremlev attended part of the wedding, which was also attended by Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner.
The Trump family previously faced scrutiny over potential ties to Russia during the 2016 presidential campaign, including a meeting at Trump Tower arranged by Trump Jr with a Russian operative.
