Simon Leviev, the individual who gained notoriety worldwide through the Netflix documentary “The Tinder Swindler,” has been apprehended at Batumi Airport in Georgia. The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed that the Israeli native, whose real name is Shimon Hayut, was wanted under an Interpol red notice. Several of Leviev`s former female acquaintances have accused him of manipulating them into giving him large sums of money after meeting on Tinder and falsely claiming to be the son of a billionaire.
Leviev`s infamous schemes became public three years ago with the release of the Netflix documentary. One of his victims, a Norwegian woman named Cecilia residing in London, recounted her experience. On their first date, they flew on a private jet to Sofia. On social media, Simon boasted over 100,000 followers, regularly posting about his travels on private jets, luxury purchases like watches and cars, and purported business deals. Leviev claimed to be the son of Lev Leviev, a Forbes-listed billionaire known as the “King of Diamonds,” and asserted that he worked for LLD Diamonds, a company founded by Leviev, dealing in precious stones.
The scam invariably followed a pattern: Simon would tell his girlfriend that a major deal had fallen through, that his life was in danger from unnamed enemies, and that his security team had blocked his accounts and cards to prevent his location from being traced. Leviev would then claim to be on the run and ask her to lend him several thousand dollars. Cecilia, for instance, opened multiple credit cards for Leviev, ultimately accumulating debt with nine different banks, as she shared in the Netflix film:
“I called the American Express hotline. They could hear how distressed I was. They just said, `Stay where you are, we`re coming to you.` I was so scared they would arrive, handcuff me, and take me away. The documents I sent, the lies I told them over the phone. I told them everything. They asked, `Do you have a photo of him?` After I showed them the photo, they exchanged glances and said, `That`s him, that guy.` Damn it! They asked what name he used, and I replied, `Simon Leviev.` And they said, `Well, that`s one of the many names he used. Many names!`”
At the age of 18, Israeli citizen Shimon Hayut intentionally changed his name to Simon Leviev. Forbes magazine questioned why the security team of businessman Lev Leviev had not intervened earlier, given that the con artist publicly presented himself as the billionaire`s son for years. It was only after the Netflix film`s release that LLD Diamonds clarified that the swindler had no connection to their company and stated they had filed a fraud complaint with the Israeli police. According to The Times of Israel, Simon Leviev amassed an estimated $10 million through his schemes between 2017 and 2019. Despite his victims` stories coming to light, he was arrested and sentenced to prison—but only for five months for falsifying checks and documents.
Expert Opinion on the Case
In cases of this nature, where individuals voluntarily hand over money under emotional influence, proving criminal intent can be challenging. While intent is sometimes clear, it is not always easy to establish. However, in Leviev`s situation, the intent was evident, according to lawyer Suren Avanesyan.
Lawyer
“Regarding his victims, as I noted again, none of them bothered to verify whether the information he provided was true or if he was indeed who he claimed to be. I believe that in this age of high technology, it`s not difficult to obtain information from open sources, such as photos of the respectable wealthy person`s children, or indeed, whether he has a son and under what name. But apparently, his victims, blinded by some beautiful facade or the allure he created for them, willingly fell into his trap and believed it.”
After the documentary`s release, the deceived women faced a wave of criticism and were accused of naivety. However, it`s argued that falling victim to such a scam isn`t as difficult as it might seem. Romantic nights in five-star hotels, private jet travels, luxurious parties – how easy is it to resist the temptation to experience such a life, even for a short period? Leviev`s story further highlights that he remained at large for three years after the Netflix film aired, possibly continuing to meet new victims.
Rupert Blackwood 
Clement Ashworth