Kimora Lee Simmons is seeking a fresh start by legally severing connections to her former husbands. According to reports, the TV personality and former model has filed a petition to change her legal name from "Kimora Lee Simmons-Leissner" to simply "Kimora Lee."
In documents obtained by TMZ, Simmons stated she wishes to drop her exes' last names for the "consolidation of records and names used in different documents." She was first married to Def Jam Records co-founder Russell Simmons in 1998, keeping his surname after their 2009 divorce. She later married banker Tim Leissner in 2014, becoming Simmons-Leissner.
The move may be linked to complicated relationships with both ex-husbands. Russell Simmons sued Kimora and Tim Leissner in 2021, alleging they conspired to defraud him. Meanwhile, Tim Leissner was embroiled in the massive 1MDB fraud scandal, admitting he faked his divorce from a previous wife to marry Kimora.
Simmons is also reportedly involved in a dispute over a $25 million mansion purchased with funds stolen from the 1MDB scheme, which the Malaysian government is seeking to reclaim.