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Aoki Lee Simmons was spotted enjoying beach time with a much older beau, and her disgraced father Russell Simmons appeared supportive in social media posts.

Last week, Aoki Lee Simmons was spotted at the beach on the island of St. Barts in the company of restauranteur Vittorio Assaf, indulging in heavy public displays of affection including sharing kisses. The 21-year-old model and Harvard University graduate is the youngest daughter of rap mogul Russell Simmons and former model and entrepreneur Kimora Lee Simmons. Assad, 65, co-founded the Serafina Restaurant Group in New York City.

In the recently released photos, Simmons and Assaf could be seen frolicking, with the restauranteur taking pictures of Simmons in various poses. Notably, it was reported that the photographs of the excursion showed up on Aoki Lee Simmons’ Instagram page – with Assaf not being shown in any of them. “Girls (possibly mermaids!) on film,” she wrote in the caption of one photo, sporting an olive green bikini. 
An unnamed source did confirm that the two were seeing each other in People Magazine, saying that they were “enjoying each others’ company.” Simmons also recently was in Assaf’s hometown of Milan, Italy during their fashion week in February.
Aoki would then talk about the pair in an Instagram Live session and referred to Assaf as her “boyfriend” while seeming to be intoxicated, which garnered some brushback from fans concerned over the wide age disparity between her and Assaf. “Shes actually giving little girl energy and it’s making it extremely creepy,” one person reportedly commented. Assaf made headlines in 2021 after his now ex-wife Charlotte Bonstrom left him for the ex-husband of her twin sister.
The relationship between Russell Simmons and his daughters has been rocky with Aoki even calling her dad out for abusive behavior online but the 66-year-old Def Jam Records founder seemed to be supportive of his youngest daughter’s new relationship in photos that he shared on his Instagram Stories over the weekend. “Happy Sunday,” he wrote with one photo of Aoki and her sister, Ming when they were children that he shared. He also shared a photo of himself and Aoki in another Instagram post, writing: “Throwback from last fathers day nyc …bode bikram yoga express class .. vegan lunch cryotherapy vitamin drip … all around amazing  day ❤️ @aokileesimmons  love you always”