Who Is Simon Leviev, Israeli Fraudster Arrested In Georgia
Simon Leviev, known to the world as the "Tinder Swindler," built a global reputation through deception.
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After the documentary's release, he was banned from accessing dating platforms.
Simon Leviev, globally recognized as the "Tinder Swindler," gained notoriety through elaborate deception. The 35-year-old Israeli fraudster, born Shimon Yehuda Hayut, became infamous following a 2022 Netflix documentary that exposed how he swindled women out of millions by posing as the wealthy heir to a diamond empire. He was taken into custody in Georgia on Sunday.
Leviev utilized Tinder to deceive women, presenting himself as the son of diamond magnate Lev Leviev. He crafted a fictitious extravagant lifestyle featuring private aircraft and high-end accommodations to persuade them to provide financial assistance. According to The New York Post, he defrauded approximately a dozen women of $10 million.
The Netflix documentary 'The Tinder Swindler' revealed Leviev's schemes, showing how he employed charisma, empty promises, and fabricated crises to manipulate his victims. Despite this evidence, Leviev consistently denies being the "Swindler," claiming the documentary is a "made-up movie."
After the documentary's release, he was banned from accessing dating platforms.
Following the documentary's popularity, Leviev has attempted to launch an entertainment career, offering personalized messages to fans through Cameo for payment.
His criminal history extends across multiple nations, including convictions for fraud, theft, forgery, and using stolen checks. He escaped from Israel in 2011 to evade imprisonment but subsequently served a two-year sentence in Finland from 2015 to 2017 before being extradited to Israel.
On Sunday, authorities arrested Leviev at Batumi International Airport in Georgia following an Interpol Red Notice issued for his apprehension. According to Interpol, a Red Notice constitutes "a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and formally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action."
Leviev's legal representatives claim he has been traveling freely and state they have no knowledge of the specific charges against him in Georgia. "We don't yet understand the reason," Sagiv Rotenberg, one of his attorneys, informed reporters.
Georgia's Interior Ministry has not yet disclosed the exact grounds for Leviev's arrest. His defense team stated they remain unaware of the allegations he faces in Georgia or the details surrounding the Interpol Red Notice that led to his detention, according to The Independent.