'Tinder Swindler' Simon Leviev Arrested In Georgia
Israeli fraudster Simon Leviev, made famous by the Netflix documentary The Tinder Swindler, has been arrested in Georgia.
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- From: India News Bull
Notorious Israeli con artist Simon Leviev, who gained international infamy through the Netflix documentary The Tinder Swindler, has been apprehended in Georgia, authorities confirmed on Monday.
The 34-year-old fraudster, whose birth name is Shimon Yehuda Hayut, became a household name after extensive media investigations revealed his systematic romance scams and financial deceptions.
"He was detained at Batumi's airport along the Black Sea coast following an Interpol request," interior ministry representative Tato Kuchava informed AFP, providing no additional information.
Leviev allegedly operated on the dating platform Tinder from 2017 to 2019, presenting himself as a wealthy heir to manipulate women into providing him substantial financial loans that he never intended to repay.
His operations became one of the most infamous examples of "catfishing" - the practice of creating deceptive online identities to manipulate victims into emotional and monetary relationships.
Leviev's elaborate charade reportedly featured extravagant displays of wealth, including security personnel and chartered aircraft, making his deception particularly credible and financially devastating for victims.
The 2022 Netflix documentary highlighted the experiences of multiple women who claimed to have been victimized by his schemes.
According to Netflix, Hayut "successfully defrauded victims across Norway, Finland, and Sweden of approximately $10 million."
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