- Matt Lauer was fired in November 2017 following a sexual harassment complaint.
- In 2019, Ronan Farrow published a book in which a former NBC producer accused Lauer of rape. Matt denied these allegations.
- Matt reportedly began dating Shamin Abas after he divorced his ex-wife, Annette Roque, in 2019.
Matt Lauer has found love with PR executive Shamin Abas in the wake of his sexual misconduct scandal and the end of his marriage. Matt, 65, appeared in good spirits when he stepped out with Shamin, 53, over the weekend in New York City, in photos published by PEOPLE. The disgraced news anchor sported a gray hoodie, black jacket, and jeans for a date night in the big apple, while his girlfriend wore a white top with a chic pattern, a midi skirt, and a dark yellow jacket.
The couple — who met when Matt’s ex-wife, Annette Roque, finalized their divorce in 2019 after two years of separation due to his sexual harassment scandal – “are happy and serious about each other,” reports PEOPLE. As Matt and Shamin continue “enjoying their lives” while trying to stay out of the spotlight, here’s what you need to know about Matt’s girlfriend.
Shamin Abas Is A Publicist & Businesswoman
Shamin is a Welsh-born publicist who works in marketing and events around New York, according to PEOPLE. She is known for working with high-end luxury clients, which results in her traveling around the world for her work.
She’s Happy To Date Matt
Shamin reportedly supports Matt “in every way,” and his past doesn’t affect her business. The two spend time together in between her business travels. Though Matt reportedly still clamored “for a comeback” in the summer of 2022, he hasn’t returned to television after his firing or after former NBC producer Brooke Nevils accused Matt of raping her while they were in Sochi, Russia, for the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Brooke claimed she was “too drunk to consent” and didn’t want to engage in anal sex. Matt denied the rape allegations. “I had an extramarital affair with Brooke Nevils in 2014,” he said in a 2019 statement. “It began when she came to my hotel room very late one night in Sochi, Russia. We engaged in a variety of sexual acts. We performed oral sex on each other, we had vaginal sex, and we had anal sex. Each act was mutual and completely consensual.”
She Was Married Before
Like Matt, Shamin has a few exes in her life. She was married first to a dentist out of Detroit, per Yahoo, Then, she tied the knot with Frank Cilione, a nightclub entrepreneur.
It doesn’t appear that she has any kids. Meanwhile, Matt shares sons Jack, 21, and Thijs, 16, and daughter Romy, 19, with his ex-wife.
Shamin Reportedly Knew Matt For Decades Before They Dated
Because of her work, Shamin reportedly spends a lot of time in the Hamptons, per Page Six. Matt had a home in the Hamptons until May 2022, when he sold it for $33.8 million, roughly eleven million less than the $44 million he listed for in the fall of 2019, per The Real Deal. Matt reportedly paid $36.5 million for the property in 2016.
Shamin and Matt reportedly met twenty years ago and remained friends together. When both of them were single, they took the next step. “They had a good solid foundation as friends,” reports PEOPLE, “and in business when they started dating, and the romance has grown over the years.”
She Has No Desire To Be In The Spotlight
“They are happy and both busy in their own lives, as well as together,” PEOPLE reported about their romance in January 2023. Matt and Shamin “have many of the same interests,” per the publication. One of those interests is trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. “They try and stay out of the spotlight but are happy together and not interested in a high-profile life,” the publication noted. “They are off the radar and low-key. They are enjoying their lives.”