Russell Simmons and Kimora Lee Simmons have been embroiled in a vicious legal battle. The former power couple, who have been separated since 2006, are currently fighting over money and stocks that Kimora currently has with husband Tim Leissner. The two have both gone public today with statements about what exactly it going on, and it seems both parties are looking to really stick it to each other in court.
Kimora Lee Perkins married Russell Simmons back in December of 1998. They two share two daughters, Ming Lee Simmons (born January 2000) and Aoki Lee Simmons (born August 2002). Together the pair also help launch fashion empires Phat Farm and Baby Phat, staples of early 00’s trends. After years of the company evolving and going from hand to hand, Kimora reportedly required the company in 2019 and turned it into a lifestyle brand.
Outside of Phat Farm and Baby Phat, the two also invested in several other companies including energy drink company Celsius. It is this company that is the source of their current problems.
According to PEOPLE Magazine, Russell filed a complaint earlier in the day against Kimora Lee and husband Tim alleging that they “conspired to make a fraudulent transfer of Simmons’ nearly 4 million shares of energy drink company Celsius in order to pay for Leissner’s legal and bail fees related to a 2018 money laundering case.” In his own statement, Russell said “Throughout my entire decades-long partnership with you I’ve done everything and anything to protect and promote our family. I have never said no to any request and have always gone against my own council to offer up much more than any judge would ever require of me in order to keep the peace,” he allegedly wrote, before adding, “I am shocked and saddened to see how your side has behaved in response to my repeated attempts to get an agreement from you to rightfully and legally reaffirm my 50% of the Celsius shares which have been locked up with the government after being used for your husband’s bail money.”
Kimora Lee has fired back stating this is false and inaccurate information. “Kimora and her children are shocked by the extortive harassment coming from her ex-husband, Russell Simmons, who has decided to sue her for shares and dividends of Celsius stock in which Kimora and Tim Leissner invested millions of dollars. This is an ill-advised attempt by Russell to use the legal system to access funds he is in no way entitled to, and which his own legal team confirms Russell did not pay for.”