Russian Man Sentenced to 4 Years for Assault During Barron Trump FaceTime Incident

A Russian man was sentenced to four years in prison by a London court on Friday for assaulting a woman in an incident that was witnessed via video call by Barron Trump, the youngest son of former President Donald Trump.

Twenty-three-year-old Matvei Rumiantsev, an MMA fighter, was found guilty of assault causing bodily harm by a jury on January 28. However, he was cleared of charges related to rape and choking. Additionally, Rumiantsev was convicted of attempting to pervert the course of justice after he sent a letter from jail urging the woman to withdraw her accusations.

Following the attack, Rumiantsev confessed that his jealousy over his girlfriend’s friendship with Barron Trump, the 19-year-old son of the former president, fueled his actions.

Barron Trump was pictured attending the inauguration ceremonies at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on January 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Kevin Lamarque/Pool/Getty Images)

“Your lack of insight and empathy was apparent at trial,” stated Justice Joel Bennathan. “You continue to try to blame the complainant for everything that has happened.”

Trump told investigators he had placed a late-night FaceTime call to the woman, whom he had met on social media, and had been startled when the call had been briefly answered by a shirtless man on Jan. 18, 2025.

“That view lasted maybe one second and I was racing with adrenaline,” Barron Trump said. “The camera was then flipped to the victim getting hit while crying, stating something in Russian.”

Barron Trump looks on ahead of the Presidential Inauguration of Donald Trump at the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 20, 2025. (KEVIN LAMARQUE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Barron Trump called the police in London.

“It’s really an emergency … I’m calling from the U.S., uh, I just got a call from a girl, you know, she’s getting beat up,” he told an operator. 

Police responded to the address and arrested Rumiantsev, a London-based receptionist.

At his trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court, Rumiantsev was acquitted of rape and choking related to the attack, as well as a separate rape and assault allegation from November 2024.

His attorney, Sasha Wass, said that Trump wasn’t aware the woman had a boyfriend and questioned how much he could have seen in just a few seconds of video. 

Barron Trump watches as his father, President Donald Trump attends an indoor Presidential Inauguration parade event at Capital One Arena, in Washington, Jan. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

Trump never testified in the case. However, the judge praised him for his quick-thinking actions. 

“Mr, Trump properly and responsibly, despite being in the United States, made sure the emergency services here were called, and he told them what he had seen,” he said.

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