Matt Lauer is dating glamorous marketing guru Shamin Abas after finalizing his divorce from longtime wife Annette Roque, Page Six has confirmed.
The former “Today” host has been spending time with Abas, who runs a luxury brand marketing firm, in the Hamptons after he and wife of more than 20 years Roque finalized their divorce this fall.
Lauer and brunette Abas, who bears a strong resemblance to his former wife, have known each other for more than 10 years, we are told, but their relationship only recently became romantic. The new couple was just pictured jetting off to spend the holidays together in New Zealand, where he owns a $9.2 million lakefront ranch.
A source close to Lauer told Page Six, “Matt and Shamin have known each other for many years, as she spends a lot of time in the Hamptons, as does he. They very recently began dating, she is a lovely woman.” Abas did not immediately respond to emails.
Lauer, 62, and Abas were photographed boarding a flight to New Zealand together on December 19, In Touch first reported.
While there have been numerous reports of Lauer spending time with new girlfriends in the Hamptons since his split with Roque, 53, Abas is the first woman he has been confirmed to have been seeing on a serious basis.
Abas’ eponymous New York City-based firm has worked with clients including Ferrari North America and Jet Aviation.
She also works with fancy Hamptons golf club The Bridge on an invite-only classic car exhibition. Golf-loving Lauer is believed to be a member of the swanky club in Noyack, which is very close to his former marital home with Roque
Lauer and Roque, who together have three children aged between 13 and 18, separated after Lauer was fired by NBC in November 2017 following allegations of sexual misconduct, which he has denied.
This past October, Lauer’s former NBC News colleague Brooke Nevils alleged that he raped her in his hotel room when they were covering the 2014 Sochi Olympics. He has strongly denied her claim, stating that the sex was consensual.
In 2017 Lauer bought the lease on the 16,000-acre New Zealand sheep and cattle farm Hunter Valley Station. It reportedly includes more than eight miles of lakefront land bordering Lake Hawea and Lake Wanaka, eight miles of riverfront along the Hunter River, a five-bedroom farmhouse and an assortment of other farm buildings and fishing huts.