Business

Lover who ‘blackmailed’ ex-Goldman banker for $10M house has assets frozen

By
Ariel Zilber
Published March 1, 2022, 2:23 p.m. ET

The woman who is alleged to have blackmailed disgraced ex-Goldman Sachs b𝔉anker Tim Leissner into 🧸buying her a $10 million London mansion has had her assets frozen by th♋e Malaysian government.

Rohana Rozhan, a media executive and theဣ former CEO of Astro Malaysia Holdings, is said to have carried on an extramarital affair with Leissner, the estranged husb꧅and of fashion model and reality television star Kimora Lee Simmons.

Leissner testified in Brooklyn federal court last week that when he tried to break things off with Rozhan, she threatened to reveal his role in the $4.5 billion 1MDB embezzlement scheme if he did 💯not buy her a mansion.

“Ms. Rozhan was very upset that I was ending our relationship to be with my future wife, with Kimora,” Leissner said on the stand.

“If I didn’t buy her a house, she would tell the authorit𓆉ies about my involvement in the 1MDB scandal. She was threatening to expose me. At the time, 2013, I was very fearful of that,” Leissner added, .

Rohana Rozhan, a former media executive, is alleged to have carried on an extramarital affair with Leissner.
Rohana Rozhan, a former media executive, is alleged to have carried on an extramarital affair with Leissner. CNBC

Leissner teওstified that he informed Richard Gnodde, t💟he then-chief of Goldman Sachs’ Asia business, of his relationship with Rozhan.

He admitted to continuing the relationship despite Gnodde’s 🐲warnings to “be caref⭕ul” because Rozhan’s company was a client.

Leissner’s testimony prompted Malaysian regulators on Tuesday to announce an investigation of Rozhan for suspected money laundering, .

Rozhan is alleged to have threatened to reveal Leissner's role in the $4.5 billion 1MDB embezzlement scheme if he did not buy her a $10 million London mansion.
Rozhan is alleged to have threatened to reveal Leissner’s role in the $4.5 billion 1MDB embezzlement scheme if he did not buy her a $10 million London mansion. Bloomberg

“We have called Rohana to record her statement and have taken steps to freeze related assets or cash,” said Azam Baki, the head of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

“We will continue our efforts to investigate and return the related monies to our country.”

Leissner is the estranged husband of fashion designer and former reality television star Kimora Lee Simmons.
Leissner is the estranged husband of fashion designer and former reality television star Kimora Lee Simmons. Araya Doheny

Leissner, who has pleaded guilty to money laundering and bribery charges, is the US government’s star witness in its case against alleged fraudster Roge𝄹r Ng𝓰.

Ng, who has 🥃pleaded not guilty, is alleged to have conspired with his then-boss, Leissner, and fugitive Malaysian busꦑinessman Jho Low in a scheme to defraud the 1MDB sovereign development fund.

Leissner is also the federal government's star witness in its prosecution of Roger Ng, a former colleague of Leissner's at Goldman who is on trial for his role in the 1MDB scandal.
Leissner is also the federal government’s star witness in its prosecution of Roger Ng, a former colleague of Leissner’s at Goldman who is on trial for his role in the 1MDB scandal. JEENAH MOON

Leissner has struck a deal with the government whereby he has pleaded gui🍌lty in exchange for his cooperation in the federal prosecution of🥀 the 49-year-old Ng.

He testified last week that he carried on several extramarital affairs and that he falsified divorce p𓃲🥂apers and exchanged vows with two women evenꦇ though ꧅he was legally wed to his previous spouse.