The fireworks display over the private island was launched from a barge in the ocean. The company that puts on such shows charges about $70,000 for them.
Laura Gordon Photography via Lewis Miller Design / Propublica
Came in as Lutfulloev, and came out as Kremlyov
In March 2010, 27-year-old man came in the registry office in Serpukhov (near Moscow) as Umar Lutfulloev, and came out as Umar Kremlyov. As he later explained, he took his motherʼs maiden name.
The investigative publication Project checked this version and found out that his motherʼs surname was Kryva. We may only guess why Lutfulloev chose the surname “Kremlyov”. But the new surname at least whitewashed his official biography.
Umar Lutfulloev has two criminal records: in 2004 — for extortion, and in 2007 — for assault. And when — nine years later — Kremlyov was already a member of the leadership of the International Boxing Association, the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs issued him an official certificate, i.e. Umar Kremlyov has no criminal records.
Umar Lutfulloev was born on November 1, 1982 in Tajikistan, and grew up in Serpukhov (near Moscow). Not so much is known about his family in open sources — there is a mother Olha, and a sister Takhmina.
Kremlyov talks about his youth in short episodes. He supposedly boxed with future champions Fedor and Dmitry Chudinov, but before an important fight he could party at a disco until 4 AM, so he did not become a professional athlete.
Then he drove a taxi, worked as a security guard, was involved in some construction projects, and opened restaurants. It is difficult to say whether any of this is true, as investigators did not find any of his early projects.
Kremlyov (far right) in a “Night Wolves” vest. Photo from 2015 — there are almost no earlier photos of the future IBA president in the public domain.
Мотоклуб "Ночные Волки" / Vk
In the early 2010s, Kremlyov bought “Harley-Davidson” and “Ducati” motorcycles and joined the “Night Wolves”. In one of the pics, he poses next to his motorcycles in a black leather jacket next to a big Putin fan Alexander “Surgeon” Zaldostanov.
Kremlyov was not just an ordinary member, but the deputy of “Surgeon” in the biker organization. In 2014 he registered a security company — “Private Security Enterprise “Night Wolves”. Who exactly brought Kremlyov and Zaldostanov together is unknown, but then Zaldostanov introduced Kremlyov to Alexei Rubezhny. He is a former fighter of the FSB special forces unit “Alpha”, who later transferred to FSO. At 43, he already had the rank of major general and became Putin’s personal bodyguard. Now he heads the Russian Presidential Security Service.
Rubezhny, like Kremlyov, loves motorcycles and boxing, they trained together and celebrated family holidays together. Kremlyov calls Putinʼs bodyguard almost a relative. Journalists from Project checked Kremlyovʼs number in the “GetContact” app and saw that several subscribers recorded him as "Umar FSO" or "Umar SBP FSO".
The leader of the "Night Wolves" Alexander Zaldostanov, nicknamed "Surgeon" (left), and Kremlyov (center). It was Zaldostanov who introduced him to Putinʼs bodyguard Rubezhny. The "Night Wolves" during one of the motorcycle races. The biker club supported Kremlyov and regularly involved Russian officials in its actions.
Мотоклуб "Ночные Волки" / Vk
On August 19, 2015, Putin and former world champion American boxer Roy Jones Jr. had tea time in occupied Sevastopol. The American said that a Russian passport would make it easier for him to travel on business.
Putin promised to help, and within a few months the American received Russian citizenship. The meeting was organized by Kremlyov, who was then promoting Jones’ fights in Russia.
Roy Jones Jr. and Putin in occupied Sevastopol, August 2015. Roy Jones Jr. at a press conference before a fight in Russia. Kremlyov promoted his performances at Russian tournaments. Roy Jones Jr. poses with a Russian passport. He asked Putin for citizenship during a meeting organized by Kremlyov.
Roy Jones Jr / Facebook; championat.com
The following year, Rubezhny headed the supervisory board of the Russian Boxing Federation, and later appointed Kremlev as the federationʼs secretary general.
This position effectively meant managing the federation and its budget.
Boxers get apartments, and subscribers get iPhones
Having a federation, Kremlyov has turned his social media into a never-ending show. In one video (described by ProPublica), he hands over the keys to a new car to a young mother. In other videos, he plays with a hundred iPhones, boxes with ostriches, and shows off his private jet. In another one, he forces a young assistant to change clothes because he thinks her clothes are not feminine enough.
The Russian Boxing Federation also changed. After his arrival, it held luxurious forums, increased prize money, and gave champions cars and apartments.
Kremlyov steps into the ring at a Russian Boxing Federation event. Over the years, thanks to access to state money, he has transformed the loss-making federation into an expensive show with big prize money. Opening of the All-Russian Boxing Forum in Kaliningrad in 2020. A two-day discussion of sports issues concluded with an evening of professional fights. Kremlyov and the "Rolf" company presented the Russian boxers with "Li Auto L7" SUVs. At that time, the largest car dealer in Russia already belonged to Kremlyov.
Федерация бокса россии
Kremlyov said he was paying for all of this with his own money. According to the Project, at the same time, people associated with him were establishing control over lottery and bookmaking assets.
In 2019, the Russian government appointed the Kremlin-linked company “Sports Lotteries” as the operator of the “National Lottery”. Under Russian law, the organizer of this lottery is the state — in this case, the Ministry of Finance — while a private operator sells tickets, conducts the draws, and pays out winnings.
According to the Project, in 2022-2023, Kremlyov’s people gained control over three large bookmakers — “Fonbet”, “Pari”, and “Liga Stav”. The combined revenue of the three companies in 2023 amounted to RUB 625.6 billion (approximately $7.1 billion), i.e. 51.48% of the entire legal bookmaking market in Russia.
The most valuable asset was the Unified Center for Accounting for Bet Transfers (UCABT) — through this intermediary service, players transfer money to bookmakers and receive winnings, and the center takes a commission. In just nine months of 2023, its revenue exceeded RUB 32 billion (over $360 million).
In the fall of 2020, the State Duma changed the law — instead of several payment centers, there was to be only one, and the specific operator was to be determined by the President of the Russian Federation by decree.
In August 2021, Putin chose YETSUPIS, which had been taken under control by Kremlyov’s people shortly before. Since then, every legal online bet in Russia has gone through Kremlyov’s structure.
A source familiar with Kremlin officials told Project that all of these decisions were approved by Putin’s bodyguard Rubezhny.
The head of the Presidential Security Service Alexei Rubezhny (left) and Kremlyov (right). According to investigators, it was Rubezhny who helped his friend lead Russian boxing.
Федерация бокса россии
At the end of 2023, the leaders of the largest Russian car dealer "Rolf" were looking for a buyer for the company. The founder of the company Sergei Petrov had long lived abroad, and the Russian authorities were pursuing him for illegal withdrawal of money, Petrov himself linked the pressure with his support for the opposition.
In December, Putin (by his decree) transferred "Rolf" to the temporary administration of the state. In February 2024, the court — at the request of the Prosecutor Generalʼs Office — transferred the companyʼs assets to the state.
Literally immediately — in March — Roman Antonov, who is associated with the Kremlyov, became the director of "Rolf". In August, Kremlyov himself became the owner of "Rolf". According to investigators, Rubezhny also lobbied for the nationalization and then the transfer of the company to Kremlyov.
Kremlyovʼs status is probably best seen in his native Serpukhov. In the pics published by the Project from his mother Olhaʼs birthday, Philip Kirkorov poses next to her. In other pics, among the festive decor, there is the mayor of Serpukhov Sergei Nikitenko, his deputy Tatyana Orlova, and Kremlyovʼs sister Takhmina.
The former head of the district Alexander Shestun calls Kremlyov "Serpukhovʼs Khan".
Kremlyovʼs mother Olhaʼs birthday in Serpukhov. From left to right: Kremlyovʼs sister Takhmina, city mayor Sergei Nikitenko, and his deputy Tatyana Orlova. Philip Kirkorov gives flowers to Kremlyovʼs mother Olha.
proekt.media
He paid off his debts, and lost the Olympics
In December 2020, Kremlyov took over as head of the International Boxing Association (IBA), an organization that had been responsible for Olympic boxing for decades but had by then lost the right to host Olympic events. It owed creditors about $20 million, and its tournament judges were suspected of manipulating results.
Due to problems with finances, management, and refereeing, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) suspended the association from organizing the tournament in Tokyo in 2019 and held it itself. Kremlyov promised to pay off debts, increase prize money, and get the association back to the Olympics.
He was elected president, and “Gazprom” came to IBA with him. The Russian company immediately allocated $50 million to the association. The debts were paid off, and the prize money increased.
A former IBA board member told ProPublica that it was clear that this was not just about sports. He said that Kremlyov was using the federation as an instrument of Russian soft power.
Umar Kremlyov. In the pic behind him: he, together with Tina Kandelaki, presents the stand of the Russian Boxing Federation to Putin at the forum "Russia is a Sports State" in Nizhny Novgorod, October 10, 2019. Then Kremlyov presented Putin with a boxing glove with diamonds.
Умар Кремлёв / Facebook
In 2022, Kremlyov was to be re-elected as the IBA president. His main rival — Dutchman Boris van der Vorst — was removed from the election on the pretext that he allegedly began campaigning before the official start of the campaign.
Kremlyov left the only one, and he was elected without a vote. Subsequently, the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned van der Vorstʼs suspension, but the IBA Congress refused to hold new elections.
In June 2023, IOC for the first time in history withdrew its recognition of an international sports federation — IBA. This meant that IOC no longer considers IBA to be the governing body of Olympic boxing — the association can hold its own tournaments, but not Olympic competitions and qualifications for them.
In April 2024, the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld the IOCʼs decision. The Olympic tournament in Los Angeles in 2028 was to be held by a new organization — “World Boxing”.
Campaign materials of Boris van der Vorst, Kremlyovʼs opponent in the IBA presidential election. The Court of Arbitration for Sport found his removal unlawful, but the association did not hold new elections. Kremlyov takes a selfie with delegates at the IBA congress in 2022. His only opponent was eliminated from the election, so a vote was not necessary.
Facebook / Boris van der Vorst; Умар Кремлёв / Facebook
Due to the conflict with IOC, Kremlyov began organizing his own tournaments with large prizes in Russia, the UAE, Central Asia and Cuba.
In November 2022, in Havana, he discussed the development of boxing with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel.
In November 2023, after a general audience at the Vatican, Kremlyov met with Pope Francis and presented him with a symbolic boxing ring.
In March 2025, before the Womenʼs World Championship in Niš (Serbia), he met with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. Naomi Campbell and rapper Rick Ross also came to IBA events.
Kremlyov and Conor McGregor at an IBA event. Kremlyov regularly brings athletes, musicians, and socialites to the associationʼs tournaments. Kremlyov presents Pope Francis with a symbolic boxing ring after a general audience at the Vatican, November 2023. Kremlyov with the championship belt in front of the crowd in Havana. After a conflict with IOC, he began holding his own tournaments in Russia, the UAE, Central Asia and Cuba.
Умар Кремлёв / Facebook; Умар Кремлёв / Telegram / Скриншот
In the fall of 2022, IBA suspended the membership of the Boxing Federation of Ukraine. At the European Junior Championships, Ukrainians were initially allowed to compete only under the associationʼs flag. After protests, IBA changed its decision and returned the Ukrainian flag and anthem to them. But at the same time, it allowed Russians and Belarusians to compete with national flags and anthems.
Kremlyov also publicly supports the “Healthy Fatherland” movement, led by his wife’s 23-year-old twin sister Katerшna Leshchynska. The movement promotes healthy eating and youth sports.
According to Ukrainian military intelligence, the movement is involved in a program to transport children from occupied Ukrainian territories to Russia under the guise of recreation and rehabilitation. Ukraine has imposed sanctions on the organization.
After breaking with IOC, Kremlyov decided to bring IBA back to the Los Angeles Games because of politics, and turned to the White House for help.
How Kremlyov found common ground with the Trump camp
On August 1, 2024, at the Olympics in Paris, Algerian boxer Imane Khelif hit Italian Angela Carini several times. After 46 seconds, Carini refused to continue the fight and burst into tears. Within a few hours, the story on social media mostly looked like this — a woman was forced to fight a man. Khelif is not a transgender woman, she was born and competed as a woman all her life.
However, a year before the Olympics, IBA disqualified her after tests, the methodology and full results of which were not made public. However, IOC allowed the athlete to the Games.
IBA used the scandal in a dispute with IOC. It promised Carini $100 000, and Kremlyov — via video link — accused the committeeʼs president Thomas Bach of "the death of womenʼs boxing" and "corruption of judges".
Imane Khelif in blue, Angela Carini in red. Carini stopped the fight after 46 seconds, and IBA turned the episode into a major argument in its war with IOC.
You Tube / Eurosport France
On January 22, 2025, two days after Trump’s inauguration, Kremlyov and the IBA CEO wrote an open letter to the US president. They praised his stance on transgender athletes in women’s competitions, recalled boxing nights at “Trump Plaza”, and asked his team to address the IBA’s conflict with IOC. The authors of the letter called on international sports organizations to review their rules for admitting transgender athletes and proposed “making the Olympic movement great again”.
Eight months after this letter, Kremlyov and Trump Jr. appeared together in public for the first time — at the IBA forum in Istanbul. According to Trump Jr., they were introduced by a mutual friend from the hunting world. Who exactly this friend was is unknown. According to Trump Jr., he became close to Kremlyov because of his love of boxing and outdoor recreation. The date of their acquaintance, as well as where and under what circumstances they met and rested, are unknown.
By the way, Kremlyov has repeatedly said that he is afraid of an investigation in the United States and sanctions, but he is not on the American sanctions lists. Trump Jr. does not work in the administration, but he influences it. For example, he helped his father select candidates for the government and promoted J.D. Vance to vice president. Vance publicly admitted that without this support he would hardly have received the nomination.
So the assumption that Kremlyov does not get on the sanctions lists thanks to his friendship with the son of the US president is not unfounded. A representative for Trump Jr. called Kremlyov a personal friend and said there was no business relationship between the two.
Kremlyov’s press office said the men were on friendly terms, first met “several years ago” and did not discuss politics.
From left to right: musician Egor Kreed, Donald Trump Jr., and Umar Kremlyov. They donʼt say who exactly introduced the Russian to the son of the US president. Kremlyov gives Trump Jr. a model boxing ring. After the forum, IBA stated that their union “will not remain symbolic” and will continue. Kremlyov and Trump Jr. at the IBA forum in Istanbul in September 2025. It was their first public appearance together.
egorkreed / Instagram; matchtv.ru; jinkeepacquiao / Instagram
A gift from a “friend” and a congressional investigation
Kremlyov flew to the Bahamas to join the presidential family from Beijing, and he was in China with the official delegation during Putinʼs visit. A month earlier, Putin awarded Kremlyov the Order of Friendship.
Kremlyov did not fly alone to Trump’s wedding party. There is no full list of the Russian group in the public domain, but two other guests are known. The first one was Alexander Lagutin previously held senior positions at a state-owned energy company and a Russian defense contractor. He also flew to the Bahamas from China. The other one was Elena Sobol, Kremlyov’s closest ally at IBA and the association’s communications director.
Putin awards Kremlyov the Order of Friendship, a month before Trump Jr.ʼs wedding weekend in the Bahamas.
One night on the rented island by Kremlyov cost about $100 000, and the fireworks — about $70 000. According to documents seen by ProPublica, the money was transferred to the suppliers not by Kremlyov personally, but by “IB Challenger” (a Dubai-based company through which IBA conducts some of its financial transactions). The transfer through a Dubai company in itself does not prove the use of an offshore scheme, but it does not answer whose funds were used to pay for Trump Jr.’s private celebration.
Former US counterintelligence officers believe that such “gifts” are a potential threat to national security. The former head of counterintelligence at the US National Security Council Holden Triplett emphasizes that money is a proven way to gain access to officials and their families.
Former senior FBI official Frank Montoya Jr. commented it even more simply — if someone pays for your wedding, someday they will remember that you owe them.
Now Robert Garcia — a Democrat from California — wants to find out whether the Russian received anything from the Trumps in exchange for the generosity. Garcia is demanding that Trump Jr. and the White House provide correspondence with Kremlyov, a list of foreign gifts, and information about possible intelligence warnings.
The fireworks display over the private island was launched from a barge in the ocean. The company that puts on such shows charges about $70,000 for them.
Laura Gordon Photography via Lewis Miller Design / Propublica
The American administration does not see any reason to rush yet. Attorney General Todd Blanch explained that Trump Jr. admitted that he accepted a gift from a friend. So what is the point to investigate?
The FBI head Kash Patel said at a Senate hearing that he had not read the ProPublica material, but the Bureau would check the information if it was received. Trump Sr. was not at his sonʼs Bahamas wedding and said that he had never heard of Kremlyov.
The group photo shows about 50 guests from the wedding weekend. Kremlyov is visible in the top row, but the Russian group is not in most of the photos released by the Trumps.
bettinatrump / Instagram