India, Sept. 15 -- A lavish Bahamas celebration linked to Donald Trump Jr. and Bettina Anderson has suddenly become a story about money, friendship and political connections. The couple has confirmed that Russian businessman Umar Kremlev paid for two nights of celebrations after their private wedding, describing the spending as an extraordinarily generous gift. The revelation came after an investigation reported that Kremlev spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on parts of the festivities, including a private-island rental and fireworks.

The couple has also drawn a clear line between their actual wedding and the Bahamas festivities. Anderson said she and Trump Jr. married privately with family before joining a weekend that had already ...