A British judge sentenced 23-year-old Matvei Rumiantsev to four years in prison on Friday, concluding a high-profile case that began when Barron Trump witnessed a violent assault via FaceTime and alerted international authorities.
Justice Joel Bennathan delivered the sentence at Snaresbrook Crown Court following Rumiantsev’s January 2026 conviction for assault and perverting the course of justice. The charges originated from a January 18, 2025, attack on Rumiantsev’s then-girlfriend.
The investigation gained global attention due to the involvement of Barron Trump, the 20-year-old son of President Donald Trump. On the night of the attack, the younger Trump received a FaceTime call from the victim’s phone. When Rumiantsev answered, he reportedly turned the camera to show Trump the woman on the floor, crying and being struck.
Trump immediately contacted the City of London Police from the United States. “I’m calling from the U.S. … She’s getting beat up,” Trump told dispatchers in a transcript released to the court. “It’s really an emergency, please.”
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During the sentencing, Justice Bennathan praised Trump for behaving “properly and responsibly.” Conversely, the judge offered a scathing assessment of Rumiantsev, describing him as a “man given to jealousy” with a “temper” who remained “totally unrepentant.”
The court found that Rumiantsev attempted to derail the investigation by writing a letter to the victim urging her to withdraw the allegations. This led to the additional charge of perverting the course of justice.
“Your lack of insight and empathy was apparent at trial,” Bennathan told the defendant. “You continue to try to blame the complainant for everything that has happened.”
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In a statement read to the court, the victim—whose identity remains protected—described the enduring trauma of the incident. She expressed feeling “humiliated, afraid, and ashamed,” noting a “constant terror” regarding Rumiantsev’s eventual release.
Rumiantsev admitted during cross-examination to feeling “jealous” of the victim’s friendship with Trump. While he was found guilty of the January 2025 assault, he was acquitted on separate counts of rape and intentional strangulation related to a previous 2024 incident.
The Crown Prosecution Service declined to comment on the sentencing.
