Kimora Lee Simmons has fired back after Def Jam Records founder and hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons filed a lawsuit against his ex-wife and her new husband Tim Leissner. The record executive is suing the pair, claiming they stole stock shares from his Celsius Energy Drink company to pay for attorney fees for Leissner. Russell claims that his shares are being used as collateral to pay a bond in connection with criminal charges filed against Kimora’s new husband by federal authorities.
Kimora ferociously answered back through her lawyers on Friday, May 21, and seems to have put their blended family image in jeopardy.
“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,” the statement obtained by Complex read.
Kimora’s statement also accused Russell of emotional abuse and took a dig at the sex abuse allegations that are currently huge issues in her ex’s life.
“Russell’s continued aggressive behavior not only blatantly distorts the facts, but is simply a desperate PR ploy ignoring the years of mental and emotional anguish, gas lighting, and ongoing harassment he has inflicted on Kimora. Russell will be held accountable for his serial abuse and we will confront his baseless claims that he is warranted Celsius stock dividends despite his self-admitted zero contribution,” Kimora’s letter from her attorneys continued.
“This extortion attempt is especially egregious given that Russell remains contractually in debt to Kimora for millions of dollars in unpaid business loans. Our team is actively working to put a firm end to his harassment, which continues despite Russell having fled the country – he will face his own reckoning in the U.S. court,” the statement concluded.
Simmons has been accused of sexual misconduct and assault by 20 women and previously stepped down from his companies. He’s reportedly living in Bali, Indonesia since 2018 where there is no extradition treaty to the U.S.
