On 15/9, authorities in the state of Georgia announced that Simon Leviev, an Israeli citizen whose real name is Shimon Yehuda Hayut, was arrested on 14/9 at Batumi International Airport at the request of Interpol after being questioned.
Hayut is accused of stealing approximately 52,000 USD from a woman he met on a dating app, spending thousands of dollars on her credit cards. The woman had previously paid approximately 10,600 USD for Hayut's hotel and airfare to the Cayman Islands after he claimed his credit card was blocked. She asserts she was never reimbursed. Hayut denies the allegations.
On 16/9, a court ruled that Hayut would be detained for three months or until German authorities extradite him. Hayut's lawyer revealed he will appeal the detention order and is planning to seek support to have the case dismissed in Germany.
Hayut was previously arrested for fraud in 2019 and sentenced to 15 months in prison in Israel but was released after serving only five months.
The 34-year-old Hayut gained notoriety after the investigative documentary 'The Tinder Swindler' exposed his series of romantic and financial scams, involving an estimated 10 million USD. He is accused of posing as the wealthy heir to a diamond tycoon on the dating app Tinder, tricking multiple women into lending him large sums of money that he never repaid.
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Simon Leviev often posted photos of his lavish lifestyle on social media. Photo: Instagram |
Simon Leviev often posted photos of his lavish lifestyle on social media. Photo: Instagram
Hayut's scheme ran from 2017 to 2019. He created fake online profiles, luring women into romantic relationships with displays of an extravagant lifestyle.
Victims shared their stories in the documentary, stating they were seduced with lavish gifts and trips to gain their trust. They said Hayut then pretended to be pursued by "enemies" and asked them to transfer him large sums of money before cutting off all contact. He used their money to purchase luxury goods, stay in five-star hotels, and travel by private jet.
Cecilie Fjellhøy, one of the women featured in the Netflix series, said she gave Hayut over 270,000 USD during their relationship.
Last year, another woman, Iren Tranov, filed a lawsuit against Hayut in Israel for approximately 124,000 USD.
Hayut denies the allegations.
'The Tinder Swindler' was Netflix's most-watched documentary in 90 countries upon its release in 2/2022.
Tue Anh (according to Variety, BBC)
