Kimora Lee Simmons Refuses to Leave $25M Beverly Hills Mansion Bought with Stolen Funds

Simmons has spent years living in the legally contested home purchased by her estranged husband with money stolen from a Malaysian sovereign wealth fund.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Entrepreneur and reality TV star Kimora Lee Simmons has spent around five years living in a legally contested $25 million Beverly Hills mansion purchased by her estranged husband, Tim Leissner, with money he stole from the Malaysian sovereign wealth fund 1MDB. Leissner, a former Goldman Sachs banker, testified under oath in 2022 that he bought the property with $25 million in stolen funds. However, Simmons is refusing to leave the home, leading to an ongoing civil dispute over possession, title, and liability.

Why it matters

This case highlights the complex legal issues surrounding assets purchased with stolen funds, as well as the challenges in recovering and repatriating such assets. While other high-profile properties linked to the 1MDB fraud have been seized, the Beverly Hills mansion remains an outlier, leaving open the possibility for Malaysia to demand its return.

The details

In 2017, Leissner purchased the seven-bedroom, 3.7-acre Beverly Hills estate using $25 million in stolen 1MDB funds. Simmons later challenged the sale and leaseback of the property, but in October 2020 allegedly signed a resolution authorizing the transaction, though she claims her signature was obtained through misrepresentation. The home was then sold to billionaire brothers David and Simon Reuben, but Simmons has continued living there without paying rent. A legal dispute is ongoing between Simmons, Leissner's company Keyway Pride, and the new owners.

  • In 2022, Leissner testified under oath that he bought the property with $25 million stolen from the Malaysian people.
  • In August 2014, Leissner was personally served in New York for a noticed deposition, which the new homeowners tried to take before his jail term began.
  • On February 6, 2023, Leissner surrendered to federal prison in Allentown, Pennsylvania, eight years after pleading guilty for his role in the $4.5 billion 1MDB fraud.

The players

Kimora Lee Simmons

An entrepreneur and reality TV star who has been living in the contested $25 million Beverly Hills mansion.

Tim Leissner

Simmons' estranged husband, a former Goldman Sachs banker who testified that he bought the Beverly Hills home with $25 million stolen from the Malaysian 1MDB sovereign wealth fund.

David Reuben and Simon Reuben

Billionaire brothers and real estate moguls who purchased the Beverly Hills mansion from Leissner's company in 2020.

Jho Low

A Wharton dropout described as the architect of the $4.5 billion 1MDB fraud, who used stolen funds to buy trophy real estate in New York and elsewhere.

Najib Razak

The former Malaysian prime minister who benefited from the 1MDB fraud and whose wife, Rosmah Mansor, was known for her extensive collection of luxury handbags purchased with stolen money.

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What’s next

A trial setting conference is slated for February 25, 2023 to determine the next steps in the ongoing legal dispute over the Beverly Hills mansion.

The takeaway

This case highlights the challenges in recovering assets purchased with stolen funds, as well as the complex legal battles that can arise when high-profile individuals are implicated in large-scale financial crimes. It also raises questions about the role of luxury goods and real estate in money laundering schemes.