Kim Zolciak and Big Poppa speculation has resurfaced months after the death of Lee “Big Poppa” Najjar, but a new probate filing appears to answer one major question about their relationship. Despite years of rumors surrounding Najjar’s financial involvement in Zolciak’s life, the former “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star is not named among the five beneficiaries identified in documents filed in his estate case.
Kim Zolciak Is Missing From Big Poppa’s Beneficiary List
New documents obtained by TMZ offer a clearer picture of who may benefit from Najjar’s estate following his death in April. According to the outlet, Najjar’s son, Jared Najjar, filed documents identifying the five people he believes are the only beneficiaries of his late father’s estate.
Those listed are Najjar’s widow, Kimberley Lynch, and his four children, Jared, Katelin, Jamen, and Jeremy. The filing does not specify what each beneficiary stands to receive, meaning it does not provide a complete breakdown of how Najjar’s assets will ultimately be distributed.
The estate is also facing separate financial claims. TMZ reported that Claudio and Julianne Burton filed documents claiming Najjar owed them at least $362,000 when he died. The pair are seeking payment from the estate, although the report did not establish what the alleged debt was for or whether the estate disputes it.
Najjar died in April 2026. His death brought renewed attention to the businessman who became famous among “RHOA” viewers despite never appearing on camera during Zolciak’s early seasons.
Kim Zolciak and Big Poppa Had A Years-Long Romance
Although their romance ended long ago, Kim Zolciak and Big Poppa’s relationship was more serious than the mystery surrounding Najjar on television sometimes suggested. When “RHOA” premiered in 2008, viewers knew Zolciak was dating a wealthy man she called Big Poppa, but his identity was kept private.
Zolciak told Essence that they had been together for almost three years. She also acknowledged that Najjar supported her emotionally and financially, describing him as “pretty giving.”
Their relationship eventually progressed to an engagement. In another Essence interview, Zolciak confirmed that she had called off the engagement and described Big Poppa as her best friend of three years. Najjar was legally married during their romance, something Zolciak publicly acknowledged. She maintained at the time that he had been going through a divorce.
The relationship would prove complicated and on-and-off. In a 2010 Bravo blog, Zolciak said Big Poppa had proposed during the previous season before they eventually decided to end their relationship.
She later provided an even more revealing picture of their life together, telling Essence that they had a five-year relationship. She claimed he spent most nights at her home, attended her children’s school functions and vacationed with her family.
Big Poppa’s Financial Support Fueled Years Of Rumors
Money was almost inseparable from the Big Poppa storyline during Zolciak’s early reality television years. Najjar became known among “RHOA” viewers for the expensive lifestyle associated with their relationship despite remaining largely out of sight. However, Zolciak insisted during her Essence interview that money was not why she was with him, saying she would have remained in the relationship even if he lost his wealth.
Their financial history nevertheless helped fuel speculation long after the romance ended. TMZ noted that rumors have circulated for years claiming Najjar secretly continued helping fund her lifestyle even after they moved on to other relationships. Those claims have not been established as fact.
Zolciak’s own later comments suggested there had been significant distance between the former couple. When asked about Big Poppa in 2017, she told PEOPLE that it had been “years and years and years and years and years” since they had spoken, according to Bravo.
By then, Zolciak was married to Kroy Biermann, whom she met after her relationship with Najjar. She emphasized at the time that she was committed to Biermann and had not heard from her former flame. Zolciak and Biermann eventually divorced, and she has since moved on romantically.
Nearly two decades after Big Poppa became one of the most memorable unseen figures in “Real Housewives” history, his death has inevitably revived interest in his relationship with Zolciak and the financial rumors that followed them. For now, however, the probate filing offers something more concrete than years of online speculation: Zolciak’s name does not appear among the five beneficiaries identified by Najjar’s son.
