Controversy over Trump Jr. wedding reception cost being sponsored by Russian oligarchs

(Washington = Yonhap News) Correspondent Park Seong-min = Controversy has arisen after it was revealed that a Russian figure known to be close to Russian President Vladimir Putin supported the wedding reception expenses for U.S. President Donald Trump's eldest son, Trump Jr.

ProPublica, an American non-profit investigative media outlet, reported on the 14th (local time) that Russian oligarch Umar Kremlev paid hundreds of thousands of dollars, part of the cost of the three-day reception held after Trump Jr. and Bettina Anderson's wedding in May.

The wedding and reception were held on a luxurious private island in the Bahamas, an island nation in the Caribbean, and Kremlev paid for the island's rent and fireworks, ProPublica reported.

According to this media report, the island can be rented for about $100,000 (about 135 million won) per night, and the cost of the fireworks display is $70,000 (about 95 million won).

Kremlev is a Russian businessman and president of the International Boxing Association (IBA) who is known to be close to President Putin. Using his friendship with President Putin, he won the Russian state lottery business and also secured management rights to Russia's largest car dealership.

The IBA, of which he served as president, was controversial for its blatant pro-Russian actions, such as selecting Russian state-owned energy company Gazprom as a sponsor, and was eventually expelled from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The cost of renting an island in the Bahamas for Trump Jr.'s wedding reception was paid by an IBA affiliated corporation in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) that IBA uses for financial transactions.

Before attending this wedding, Kremlev received a medal from President Putin and also participated as an entourage in President Putin's visit to China. It is said that not only Kremlev but also several Russians attended Trump Jr.'s wedding and reception.

Trump Jr.'s new wife, Bettina, confirmed that Kremlev had covered the cost of the reception, writing on the couple's shared social media account, "This was an extremely generous wedding gift from a friend. We were and still are very grateful for this."

Regarding Kremlev's burden of wedding expenses, ProPublica said, "One of Putin's close associates provided financial support to the president's son and developed a close relationship with the Trump family. The Putin government, which is considered a major adversary of the United States, has been accused of trying to influence the U.S. election for the past decade."

In particular, national security experts expressed concern, saying it "raises urgent questions about Kremlev's motivations for pouring so much money into building this relationship," ProPublica reported.

“If I pay for your wedding, you’re going to have to pay me back at some point,” Frank Montoya, a former senior FBI counterintelligence official, told ProPublica.

Montoya also said Trump Jr. had put himself in a dangerous position, adding, "This should be unthinkable for the president's son. I have nothing more to say."

Holden Triplett, who served as director of counterintelligence at the National Security Council (NSC) in the White House during Trump's first term, said it was common for Russian intelligence agencies to try to build relationships with U.S. officials and their families, adding, "Money is a proven effective way to gain access."