the Netflix movie “The Tinder Swindlerpaints the picture of a man who posed as a jet setter and diamond mogul on the dating site and mercilessly lied to his online acquaintances and stole millions of dollars. After the documentary was published, many people were very interested: What is Shimon Hayut aka Simon Leviev doing today?
Netflix film: What was the Tinder Swindler doing?
At the end of the Netflix film The Tinder Swindler, we learn that “Simon” was arrested in Greece by Interpol. He was then imprisoned in Israel. That happened at the end of June 2019. He was sentenced to 15 months but was released after five.
However, according to VG, Simon Leviev was not arrested for cheating on the women, but for theft and fraud. Among other things, the VG journalists found the following about the “Tinder Swindler”:
- Simon was previously charged with theft, counterfeiting and fraud in 2011. He never appeared in court but fled to Europe.
- In 2017, a new criminal case was opened in Israel. He didn’t show up again.
According to Netflix, the “Tinder Swindler” operates a website under the name of Simon Leviev and offers business advice. We couldn’t find them. However, we spotted an article about “real estate expert Simon Leviev” in Vents Magazine from November 4, 2021. There he shares five tips to help aspiring realtors build a career.
- By the way: The Netflix film is currently in first place in the streaming charts worldwide.
Tinder bans the scammer
Tinder reveals to Variety that Shimon Hayut aka Simon Leviev is no longer with the dating platform.
“We have conducted internal investigations and can confirm that Simon Leviev is no longer active on Tinder under any of his known aliases.”
Tinder via Variety
Instagram is also said to have banned him. However, there are currently several new “official” accounts with the name Simon Leviev, so it is unclear which account is real. We found the most followers on a profile where a story was uploaded a few days ago. In it, “Simon” explains that Instagram has banned his account. He thanks everyone for their support and wants to tell the “whole truth” in a few days.
The posts that show the man on the beach, at the pool or in a private jet look “real”. However, we can’t tell if this is the real Tinder Swindler from the Netflix movie.
That’s what women do today
The women he exploited say they are disappointed and shocked by Israel’s decision. The Times of Israel reports that one victim explains:
“Private detectives and Interpol people are waiting for him to leave Israel to arrest him. He ruined my life and devastated me emotionally and financially. I will never in my life forgive him for what he did to me. He will pay dearly for his actions and we will ensure that he goes to prison for many years. I thought there were laws in Israel, but unfortunately the judicial system encourages fraud.”
Victim A
Three of the betrayed women, who also have their say in the Netflix film, have launched a gofundme initiative. Ayleen, Pernilla and Cecilie explain what happened to them and anyone who wants can donate.
Tinder Swindler Background
The Tinder Swindler, known from the Netflix film, used the dating app Tinder to cheat on scores of women across Europe while living a life of luxury. So when he met the women, he first showed himself to be a charming, friendly diamond mogul; won her affection and trust. If they were emotionally involved, he would pretend that he was in trouble and that “enemies” were threatening his life. For security reasons, he could no longer use his credit card and asked the women to open a new card under their name.
Not only “The Tinder Swindler” is currently taking numerous people with it. A Netflix series apparently pushes many viewers to their limits. “The Woman In The House Across The Street From The Girl In The Window” could also leave numerous questions unanswered.
Source: Netflix, VG, Vents Magazine, Variety, Instagram/simon_leviev_official, gofundme