Russell Simmons Recovers Celsius Shares Worth $350M From 1MDB Forfeiture Case
Russell Simmons is cashing in on nearly ten million Celsius shares worth over $350 million, but a chunk goes straight to women who accused him of sexual assault.
Russell Simmons is about to see a massive payday from nearly 10 million Celsius Energy drink shares that were caught up in one of the biggest international money-laundering schemes in modern history.
A Brooklyn federal court approved the settlement this week, and the Def Jam co-founder’s getting a cut of stock worth over $350 million at current market prices, though exactly how much he’ll pocket remains under wraps.
The catch?
A significant chunk of his recovery is already earmarked for women who’ve accused him of sexual assault, with settlements totaling at least $8.6 million going to four creditors.
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The whole situation traces back to a $3 million investment Simmons made in 2015 through a company called Nu Horizons Investment Group, which he co-managed with Tim Leissner, a former Goldman Sachs banker.
That initial investment bought roughly 3.3 million Celsius shares, but when the stock split three-for-one in 2023, the holdings nearly tripled in value.
The problem was that Leissner had ties to one of the largest corruption scandals ever, and federal prosecutors traced the money used for that Celsius purchase directly back to stolen 1MDB funds.
Leissner, who worked for Goldman Sachs, pleaded guilty in 2018 to conspiracy, bribery, and money laundering connected to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal, a scheme that saw over $4.5 billion stolen from a Malaysian government investment fund between 2009 and 2015.
Goldman Sachs had raised $6.5 billion through three bond offerings for 1MDB between 2012 and 2013, pocketing nearly $600 million in fees while billions got diverted into offshore accounts controlled by financier Jho Low and his associates.
Leissner was sentenced to two years in federal prison in May 2025 and is currently serving his time at Allenwood Federal Correctional Facility in Pennsylvania.
He won’t see a dime from the Celsius recovery.
The 1MDB scandal didn’t just destroy Malaysia’s economy and topple Prime Minister Najib Razak; it also caught up rapper Pras from the Fugees.
In November 2025, Pras was sentenced to 14 years in prison for using stolen 1MDB money to peddle influence in U.S. politics and make illegal donations to the Obama campaign.
Now, back to Simmons’ settlement: the women receiving payouts from his Celsius recovery include Tina Klein-Baker ($5.7 million), Wendy Franco ($512,000), Sheri Abernathy ($1.2 million), and Sil Lai Abrams ($1.2 million).
Simmons has consistently denied all allegations of sexual assault and misconduct.
His ex-wife Kimora Lee Simmons is also recovering shares from the settlement, though her exact portion hasn’t been disclosed, and the federal government keeps the remainder as forfeiture proceeds.
The legal dispute between Russell and Kimora over their competing claims to the Celsius stake lasted years, with Russell accusing his ex-wife and Leissner of improperly taking control of his investment interest.
Both denied those allegations.
The settlement finally puts an end to the ownership battle, though it leaves Simmons with a complicated legacy tied to one of the most brazen international financial crimes in history.
