October 25, 2025
Source: Chicago Sun-Times, “White House donor list for Trump’s ballroom includes Chicago entrepreneur”
Konstantin Sokolov, head of Chicago-based private equity firm IJS Investments, is among the 37 donors helping to fund the construction of a 90,000-square-foot ballroom at the White House.
The $300 million project, championed by President Trump, involves demolishing the East Wing. The donor list includes tech and crypto giants: Coinbase, Tether, Apple, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Palantir, Lockheed Martin. Sokolov, a Russian-born entrepreneur, is named alongside them.
According to the Sun-Times, Sokolov:
- Founded IJS Investments in 2006, focusing on “infrastructure, technology and finance”
- Is a shareholder in Viva Armenia (formerly MTS Armenia)
- Serves as chairman of the Northern Pillar Energy Consortium (renewable energy between Africa and Europe)
- Donated $100 million to the University of Chicago Booth, which renamed its Executive MBA Program in his honor
- Previously donated $1.5 million to Booth’s Gleacher Center
- Holds an MBA from Booth and a master’s from St. Petersburg State University
- Moved to the U.S. in 1997 at age 21
- Has homes in Miami, Switzerland, and Malta, and visits Chicago six times a year
The article notes that IJS Investments did not respond to requests for comment. Donation amounts are undisclosed, though one donor (Boxabl’s CEO) publicly stated a $10 million stock donation.
Here’s the list of individuals and companies helping to pay for the ballroom:
- Altria Group
- Amazon
- Apple
- Booz Allen Hamilton
- Caterpillar
- Coinbase
- Comcast Corp.
- J. Pepe and Emilia Fanjul
- Hard Rock International
- HP
- Lockheed Martin
- Meta Platforms
- Micron Technology
- Microsoft
- NextEra Energy
- Palantir Technologies
- Ripple
- Reynolds American
- T-Mobile
- Tether America
- Union Pacific Railroad
- Adelson Family Foundation
- Stefan E. Brodie
- Betty Wold Johnson Foundation
- Charles and Marissa Cascarilla
- Edward and Shari Glazer
- Harold Hamm
- Benjamin Leon Jr.
- The Lutnick Family
- The Laura & Isaac Perlmutter Foundation
- Stephen A. Schwarzman
- Konstantin Sokolov
- Kelly Loeffler and Jeff Sprecher
- Paolo Tiramani
- Cameron Winklevoss
- Tyler Winklevoss
Context for the archive:
This Sun-Times article functions as a de facto PR vehicle for Sokolov. It lists his talking points — Armenian telecom stake, Booth donation, renewable energy initiative — without scrutiny. Notably absent: any mention of his $11 million in 2025 MAGA Inc. donations, his involvement with AMIO Bank, or the opaque nature of IJS Investments’ portfolio. The timing — as the White House ballroom project faces criticism from preservationists — suggests a mutually beneficial arrangement: a donor gets positive press, the administration gets a friendly story.
🏷️ Tags: Konstantin Sokolov, White House, Donald Trump, Chicago Sun-Times, PR, IJS Investments, Viva Armenia, Chicago Booth