Ex-Goldman Sachs Banker Tim Leissner Admits to Faking Divorce in Order to Marry Kimora Lee Simmons

He liked it, so he was just trying to put a ring on it!

Former Goldman Sachs banker, Tim Leissner, admitted to “fake” divorcing twice from two women to marry model and Baby Phat designer Kimora Lee Simmons. 

Leissner, 52, continues to expose new details as he is currently on trial testifying in Brooklyn federal court for a bribery trial involving his former Goldman colleague, Roger Ng. He pleaded guilty to his involvement in the embezzlement scandal.

Leissner testified he married the designer while he was still legally married to Judy Chan Leissner. Simmons is the ex-wife of hip-hop mogul Russel Simmons and married Leissner in 2013. Leissner says, “I Photoshopped the divorce document.” Prosecutor Drew Rolle asked if Leissner knew he forged documents. Apparently, she did know and was upset, and she didn’t help him put a down payment on his Los Angeles home for him and Simmons.

This wasn’t the first time he’s faked a divorce. Before marrying Judy Chan, he falsified a previous divorce document. 

“Judy did not want to make any transfer related to my new family life in Los Angeles.”

According to the New York Post, “Leissner then tried to get Judy Chan to transfer him the money by claiming that it was for Malaysian financier Jho Low, the fugitive who is wanted for his alleged role in masterminding the 1MDB scheme, he claimed. ‘It didn’t work. I think she did some research on the Internet and found out I was trying to buy this house.'”

Leissner pled guilty to his involvement in the 1MDB embezzlement scandal in hopes of a lighter prison sentence and admitted that a big part of his lavish lifestyle was through funding of 1MDB that he allegedly helped steal. 

Earlier this week, he testified that he had multiple affairs throughout the relationship with Simmons. The pair split in 2020. One of the affairs he claimed was with a lover that blackmailed him into buying a $10 million mansion for them.