Simon Leviev: Difference between revisions

Simon Leviev
Simon Leviev
Born	Shimon Yehuda Hayut; 27 September 1990 (age 34); Ramat Elchanan, Bnei Brak, Israel
Criminal status	Released
Criminal charge	Theft, forgery, and fraud
Penalty	3 years in Finnish prison; 15 months in Israeli prison, ₪150,000 compensation, ₪20,000 fine;
Imprisoned at	Finland (2015), Israel (2019)

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Simon Leviev (Hebrew: סיימון לבייב; born Shimon Yehuda Hayut, 27 September 1990) is an Israeli businessman convicted of forgery and fraud. According to The Times of Israel, between 2017 and 2019 he allegedly conned an estimated $1 billion dollars from people and banks in a Ponzi scheme.^[2]^[3] His criminal activity became widely known in 2019 after the publication of an article titled "The Tinder Swindler" by investigative journalists from the Norwegian tabloid Verdens Gang, with the support of Israeli journalist Uri Blau, and later with the release of the 2022 Netflix documentary of the same name.^[4]

In 2015, Leviev was sentenced to two years in prison in Finland, and in 2019 to 15 months in prison in Israel.^[5]

Early life

Leviev was born Shimon Yehuda Hayut (Hebrew: שמעון יהודה חיות) in 1990 in Ramat Elchanan, Bnei Brak, Israel.^[3] His father is Yohanan Hayut, the chief rabbi of El Al airlines.^[6] At the age of 15 he moved to Brooklyn, New York in the US with his family's friends. According to interviews done by Felicity Morris, Leviev has been committing minor cons like cheque fraud since he was a teenager.^[7] He later changed his legal name from Shimon Hayut to Simon Leviev, using the surname Leviev to pretend he was related to Lev Avnerovich Leviev, an Israeli businessman known as "The King of Diamonds".^[8]

Criminal activity and legal trouble

In 2011, Hayut was charged in Israel with theft, forgery, and fraud for cashing stolen checks.^[3] According to reports, he stole a checkbook belonging to a family while babysitting their child, and another's while working as a handyman at their home.^[3] He never showed up in court and escaped the country across the border into Jordan with a fake passport under the name Mordechai Nisim Tapiro, and fled to Europe.^[1]^[9] In 2012, he was indicted by an Israeli court and charged with theft and forgery of checks, as well as for leaving a five-year-old he was babysitting unattended.^[1] In 2015, he was arrested in Finland and was sentenced to three years in prison. When arrested in Finland, he claimed he was an Israeli man born in 1978 and was found with two forged Israeli passports, three forged Israeli driver's licenses, two forged Israeli flight permits, and five American Express credit cards.

After finishing his sentence early, he returned to Israel to be recharged and sentenced in 2017. However, according to The Times of Israel, he assumed a different identity by changing his legal name to Simon Leviev and fled the country again.^[8]^[3] Hayut travelled around Europe, pretending to be different people. He allegedly also presented himself as the son of Russian-Israeli diamond mogul Lev Leviev, using the dating app Tinder to contact women as Leviev, and tricked them into loaning him money that he never repaid. He would charm women with lavish gifts, taking them to dinners on private jets. He would later pretend he was being targeted by his "enemies", often sending the same messages and images pretending that his bodyguard was attacked, asking his victims to help him financially.

In 2019, he was arrested by Interpol in Greece after using a forged passport.^[3]^[10] Later that year, he was sentenced to 15 months in prison in Israel,^[5]^[11] but was released five months later as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.^[12] According to The Mirror, he later offered "business advice" for a fee via a website.^[13]^[14] According to The Times of Israel, in 2020 he pretended to be a medical worker to get the COVID-19 vaccine early.^[15]^[16]

In an interview with CNN on 21 February 2022, he denied defrauding the women, claiming he was just a "single guy who wanted to meet some girls on Tinder."^[17]

In February 2022, attorneys for the Leviev family filed a criminal complaint against Hayut with the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court, for libelous publications, infringing privacy and violating trademark orders.^[18]^[19] In July 2022, they filed another criminal complaint against Hayut for damaging the family's name.^[20] The hearing of the Leviev family's complaint was postponed after the Israeli prosecutor's office sent a request to postpone the hearing on the grounds that Simon Leviev is the focus of a criminal investigation for the same offenses.

In popular culture

In 2022, Netflix released a video documentary, The Tinder Swindler, which describes his story as told by three women.^[21]^[22] According to The Washington Post, following the release of the documentary, the movie has become the most ever watched Documentary on Netflix, and was nominated for five Emmy awards.

In 2022, shortly after the release of the documentary, Leviev signed with talent manager Gina Rodriguez of Gitoni Inc. in pursuing a career in the entertainment industry. He is working on publishing a book, along with a movie and TV Series based on his life story.^[23] He also has a Cameo account, where he charged US$99.00 for personalized videos.^[24]

In August 2024, Simon Leviev released his biography titled "I am Simon Leviev."

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "Svindlerens ofre". VG Nett (in Norwegian). 19 February 2019. Archived from the original on 6 February 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
^ Kranc, Lauren (2 February 2022). "'The Tinder Swindler' True Story: Where Is Simon Leviev Now?". Esquire. Archived from the original on 8 February 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "'Tinder Swindler' extradited back to Israel to face charges". Times of Israel. 7 October 2019. Archived from the original on 7 February 2022.
^ Horton, Adrian (2 February 2022). "'Catfishing on a whole other level': the shocking story of the Tinder Swindler". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 8 February 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
^ ^a ^b "Israeli 'Tinder swindler' sentenced to 15 months in prison". Time of Israel. 30 December 2019. Archived from the original on 8 February 2022.
^ Breger, Sarah (10 February 2022). "The Bnei Brak Bachur who became the Tinder Swindler". momentmag.com. Moment Magazine. Archived from the original on 17 February 2022. Retrieved 18 March 2022.
^ "Beware the Tinder Swindler, a Real-Life Dating-App Villain". Vanity Fair. 2 February 2022. Archived from the original on 8 February 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
^ ^a ^b Padin, Malvika (3 February 2022). "All the details about Tinder Swindler Simon Leviev - including where he is now". mirror. Archived from the original on 7 February 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
^ Natalie Remøe Hansen; Kristoffer Kumar; Erlend Ofte Arntsen (16 February 2019). "The Tinder Swindler". VG Nett. Archived from the original on 5 February 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
^ "Israel requests extradition of Tinder fraudster". VG Nett. 2 July 2019. Archived from the original on 4 February 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
^ "Tindersvindleren dømt til 15 måneders fengsel". VG Nett (in Norwegian Bokmål). 30 December 2019. Archived from the original on 5 February 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
^ Mitchell, Molli (4 February 2022). "LLD Diamonds responds to "Tinder Swinder" Simon Leviev's lies". Newsweek. Archived from the original on 4 February 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
^ O'Sullivan, Kyle (2 February 2022). "Tinder Swindler went back on dating app after sick scam and now seeing a model". mirror. Archived from the original on 14 February 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
^ "Home | Simon Leviev". 2 February 2022. Archived from the original on 2 February 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
^ "'Tinder swindler' faked being medic, conned his way into early vaccine – report". The Times of Israel. 30 December 2020. Archived from the original on 30 December 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
^ "What happened to Tinder Swindler Shimon Hayut after the scam is covered Netflix". inews.co.uk. 3 February 2022. Archived from the original on 7 February 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
^ France, Lisa Respers (21 February 2022). "'Tinder Swindler's' Simon Leviev 'just wanted to meet some girls'". CNN. Archived from the original on 16 November 2023. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
^ Shafir, Nitsan (28 February 2022). "Leviev family files criminal complaint against 'Tinder Swindler'". Globes. Archived from the original on 29 June 2022. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
^ "'Tinder Swindler' Simon Leviev sued by diamond magnate's family over impersonation". NBC News. 1 March 2022. Archived from the original on 4 March 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
^ "Leviev family submits criminal complaint against 'Tinder Swindler' Hayut". The Jerusalem Post. 14 July 2022. Archived from the original on 14 July 2022. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
^ Cumming, Ed (5 February 2022). "The Tinder Swindler tells the story of a cruel yet charismatic conman – review". The Independent. Archived from the original on 8 February 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
^ Vernon, Polly (1 February 2022). "I was in love with the Tinder Swindler". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Archived from the original on 18 February 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
^ "'Tinder Swindler' Simon Leviev Joins Cameo, Signs With Manager: Inside His Hollywood Plans | Entertainment Tonight". www.etonline.com. Archived from the original on 22 February 2022. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
^ Simon Leviev ^{[dead link‍]}

External links

[VGNett_2019-1] "Svindlerens ofre". VG Nett (in Norwegian). 19 February 2019. Archived from the original on 6 February 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2022.

[Kranc_2022-2] Kranc, Lauren (2 February 2022). "'The Tinder Swindler' True Story: Where Is Simon Leviev Now?". Esquire. Archived from the original on 8 February 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2022.

[extrad-3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "'Tinder Swindler' extradited back to Israel to face charges". Times of Israel. 7 October 2019. Archived from the original on 7 February 2022.

[Horton_2022-4] Horton, Adrian (2 February 2022). "'Catfishing on a whole other level': the shocking story of the Tinder Swindler". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 8 February 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2022.

[sentence-5] "Israeli 'Tinder swindler' sentenced to 15 months in prison". Time of Israel. 30 December 2019. Archived from the original on 8 February 2022.

[6] Breger, Sarah (10 February 2022). "The Bnei Brak Bachur who became the Tinder Swindler". momentmag.com. Moment Magazine. Archived from the original on 17 February 2022. Retrieved 18 March 2022.

[Nast_2022-7] "Beware the Tinder Swindler, a Real-Life Dating-App Villain". Vanity Fair. 2 February 2022. Archived from the original on 8 February 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2022.

[Padin_2022-8] Padin, Malvika (3 February 2022). "All the details about Tinder Swindler Simon Leviev - including where he is now". mirror. Archived from the original on 7 February 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2022.

[VG_Nett_2019-9] Natalie Remøe Hansen; Kristoffer Kumar; Erlend Ofte Arntsen (16 February 2019). "The Tinder Swindler". VG Nett. Archived from the original on 5 February 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2022.

[Nyheter_fra_Norges_mest_leste_nettavis_–_VG_2019-10] "Israel requests extradition of Tinder fraudster". VG Nett. 2 July 2019. Archived from the original on 4 February 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2022.

[Tindersvindleren_dømt_til_15_måneders_fengsel_–_VG_2019-11] "Tindersvindleren dømt til 15 måneders fengsel". VG Nett (in Norwegian Bokmål). 30 December 2019. Archived from the original on 5 February 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2022.

[Mitchell_2022-12] Mitchell, Molli (4 February 2022). "LLD Diamonds responds to "Tinder Swinder" Simon Leviev's lies". Newsweek. Archived from the original on 4 February 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2022.

[13] O'Sullivan, Kyle (2 February 2022). "Tinder Swindler went back on dating app after sick scam and now seeing a model". mirror. Archived from the original on 14 February 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2022.

[14] "Home | Simon Leviev". 2 February 2022. Archived from the original on 2 February 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2022.

[The_Times_of_Israel_2020-15] "'Tinder swindler' faked being medic, conned his way into early vaccine – report". The Times of Israel. 30 December 2020. Archived from the original on 30 December 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2022.

[inews.co.uk_2022-16] "What happened to Tinder Swindler Shimon Hayut after the scam is covered Netflix". inews.co.uk. 3 February 2022. Archived from the original on 7 February 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2022.

[France_2022-17] France, Lisa Respers (21 February 2022). "'Tinder Swindler's' Simon Leviev 'just wanted to meet some girls'". CNN. Archived from the original on 16 November 2023. Retrieved 23 February 2022.

[18] Shafir, Nitsan (28 February 2022). "Leviev family files criminal complaint against 'Tinder Swindler'". Globes. Archived from the original on 29 June 2022. Retrieved 29 June 2022.

[NBC_News_2022_sued-19] "'Tinder Swindler' Simon Leviev sued by diamond magnate's family over impersonation". NBC News. 1 March 2022. Archived from the original on 4 March 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2022.

[20] "Leviev family submits criminal complaint against 'Tinder Swindler' Hayut". The Jerusalem Post. 14 July 2022. Archived from the original on 14 July 2022. Retrieved 14 July 2022.

[Cumming_2022-21] Cumming, Ed (5 February 2022). "The Tinder Swindler tells the story of a cruel yet charismatic conman – review". The Independent. Archived from the original on 8 February 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2022.

[22] Vernon, Polly (1 February 2022). "I was in love with the Tinder Swindler". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Archived from the original on 18 February 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2022.

[23] "'Tinder Swindler' Simon Leviev Joins Cameo, Signs With Manager: Inside His Hollywood Plans | Entertainment Tonight". www.etonline.com. Archived from the original on 22 February 2022. Retrieved 22 February 2022.

[24] Simon Leviev ^{[dead link‍]}

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Short description|Israeli conman (born 1990)}}
+{{Short description|Israeli con artist (born 1990)}}
+{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}
 {{Infobox criminal
 | name              = Simon Leviev
+| alias             =
-| alias             = Mordechai Nisim Tapiro, Michael Bilton, Avraham Levy, David Sharon<ref name="VG Nett 2019 dob" />
 | image             =
-| birth_date        = {{birth date and age|df=yes|27 September 1990}}<ref name="VG Nett 2018 dob"/>
+| birth_date        = {{birth date and age|df=yes|27 September 1990}}<ref name="VGNett_2019">{{cite news| title=Svindlerens ofre | website=VG Nett | date=19 February 2019 | url=https://www.vg.no/spesial/2019/svindelofre/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206170328/https://www.vg.no/spesial/2019/svindelofre/|archive-date=6 February 2022| language=no | access-date=6 February 2022}}</ref>
 | birth_place       = Ramat Elchanan, [[Bnei Brak]], [[Israel]]
-| criminal_charge   = Theft, forgery and fraud
+| criminal_charge   = Theft, forgery, and fraud
-| criminal_penalty  =
+| criminal_penalty  = *3 years in Finnish prison
-*3 years in Finnish prison
 *15 months in Israeli prison, {{Currency|150000|ILS}} compensation, {{Currency|20000|ILS}} fine
 | birth_name        = Shimon Yehuda Hayut
-| wanted_by         = Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom
 | imprisoned        = Finland (2015), Israel (2019)
-| conviction_status = Released, but still wanted by several countries
+| conviction_status = Released
 }}
-'''Simon Leviev''' ({{lang-he|סיימון לבייב}}; born 27 September 1990) is an Israeli conman convicted of theft, forgery and fraud.<ref name="Cumming 2022">{{cite web | last=Cumming | first=Ed | title=The Tinder Swindler tells the story of a cruel yet charismatic conman – review | website=The Independent | date=5 February 2022 | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/tinder-swindler-simon-leviev-netflix-lld-diamonds-b2008325.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220208194403/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/tinder-swindler-simon-leviev-netflix-lld-diamonds-b2008325.html|archive-date=8 February 2022 | access-date=6 February 2022}}</ref><ref name="Malkin Malkin 2022">{{cite web | last=Malkin | first=Marc | title=‘Tinder Swindler’ Con Artist ‘Simon Leviev’ Banned From Dating App | website=Variety | date=4 February 2022 | url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/tinder-swindler-simon-leviev-banned-netflix-1235172495/ | access-date=6 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220208194815/https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/tinder-swindler-simon-leviev-banned-netflix-1235172495/|archive-date=8 February 2022}}</ref> According to ''[[The Times of Israel]]'', he allegedly swindled an estimated $10 million from victims across the European continent from 2017 to 2019 alone using a [[Ponzi scheme]].<ref name="Kranc 2022">{{cite web | last=Kranc | first=Lauren | title='The Tinder Swindler' True Story: Where Is Simon Leviev Now? | website=[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]] | date=2 February 2022 | url=https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a38955743/tinder-swindler-simon-leviev-true-story-where-is-he-now/ | access-date=6 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220208195316/https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a38955743/tinder-swindler-simon-leviev-true-story-where-is-he-now/|archive-date=8 February 2022}}</ref><ref name="extrad">{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/tinder-swindler-extradited-back-to-israel-to-face-charges/|title=‘Tinder Swindler’ extradited back to Israel to face charges|website=Times of Israel|date=7 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220207174127/https://www.timesofisrael.com/tinder-swindler-extradited-back-to-israel-to-face-charges/|archive-date=8 February 2022}}</ref> The story of his criminal activity has gained prominence in 2019 after the publication of an article entitled ''The Tinder Swindler'' by investigative journalists working for the Norwegian tabloid ''[[Verdens Gang]]'' and with the support of Israeli journalist [[Uri Blau]], and later in 2022 after the release of the [[Netflix]] [[The Tinder Swindler|documentary of the same name]].<ref name="Horton 2022">{{cite web | last=Horton | first=Adrian | title=‘Catfishing on a whole other level’: the shocking story of the Tinder Swindler | website=The Guardian | date=2 February 2022 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/feb/02/tinder-swindler-netflix-documentary-simon-leviev | access-date=6 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220208200314/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/feb/02/tinder-swindler-netflix-documentary-simon-leviev|archive-date=8 February 2022}}</ref> In 2015, he was sentenced to two years in prison in Finland, and in 2019 to 15 months in prison in Israel.<ref name="sentence">{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-tinder-swindler-sentenced-to-15-months-in-prison/|title=Israeli ‘Tinder swindler’ sentenced to 15 months in prison|website=Time of Israel|date=30 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220208200517/https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-tinder-swindler-sentenced-to-15-months-in-prison/|archive-date=8 February 2022}}</ref> As of 2019, he is still wanted in several countries for fraud.<ref name="extrad" />
+'''Simon Leviev''' ({{langx|he|סיימון לבייב}}; born '''Shimon Yehuda Hayut''', 27 September 1990) is an Israeli businessman convicted of forgery and fraud. According to ''[[The Times of Israel]]'', between 2017 and 2019 he allegedly conned an estimated $1 billion dollars from people and banks in a [[Ponzi scheme]].<ref name="Kranc 2022">{{cite web | last=Kranc | first=Lauren | title='The Tinder Swindler' True Story: Where Is Simon Leviev Now? | website=[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]] | date=2 February 2022 | url=https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a38955743/tinder-swindler-simon-leviev-true-story-where-is-he-now/ | access-date=6 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220208195316/https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a38955743/tinder-swindler-simon-leviev-true-story-where-is-he-now/|archive-date=8 February 2022}}</ref><ref name="extrad">{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/tinder-swindler-extradited-back-to-israel-to-face-charges/|title='Tinder Swindler' extradited back to Israel to face charges|website=Times of Israel|date=7 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220207174127/https://www.timesofisrael.com/tinder-swindler-extradited-back-to-israel-to-face-charges/|archive-date=7 February 2022}}</ref> His criminal activity became widely known in 2019 after the publication of an article titled "The Tinder Swindler" by investigative journalists from the Norwegian tabloid ''[[Verdens Gang]]'', with the support of Israeli journalist [[Uri Blau]], and later with the release of the 2022 [[Netflix]] [[The Tinder Swindler|documentary of the same name]].<ref name="Horton 2022">{{cite web | last=Horton | first=Adrian | title='Catfishing on a whole other level': the shocking story of the Tinder Swindler | website=The Guardian | date=2 February 2022 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/feb/02/tinder-swindler-netflix-documentary-simon-leviev | access-date=6 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220208200314/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/feb/02/tinder-swindler-netflix-documentary-simon-leviev|archive-date=8 February 2022}}</ref>
+In 2015, Leviev was sentenced to two years in prison in Finland, and in 2019 to 15 months in prison in Israel.<ref name="sentence">{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-tinder-swindler-sentenced-to-15-months-in-prison/|title=Israeli 'Tinder swindler' sentenced to 15 months in prison|website=Time of Israel|date=30 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220208200517/https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-tinder-swindler-sentenced-to-15-months-in-prison/|archive-date=8 February 2022}}</ref>
 == Early life ==
-Leviev was born Shimon Yehuda Hayut ({{lang-he| שמעון יהודה חיות}}) in 1990 in Ramat Elchanan, [[Bnei Brak]], [[Israel]].<ref name="extrad" />
+Leviev was born Shimon Yehuda Hayut ({{langx|he| שמעון יהודה חיות}}) in 1990 in Ramat Elchanan, [[Bnei Brak]], [[Israel]].<ref name="extrad" /> His father is Yohanan Hayut, the chief rabbi of [[El Al]] airlines.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Breger |first1=Sarah |title=The Bnei Brak Bachur who became the Tinder Swindler |url=https://momentmag.com/tinder-swindler/ |website=momentmag.com |date=10 February 2022 |publisher=Moment Magazine |access-date=18 March 2022 |archive-date=17 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217130806/https://momentmag.com/tinder-swindler/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
-At the age of 15 he moved to [[Brooklyn, New York]] in the US with his family's friends,<ref name="VG Nett 2019 dob">{{cite news| title=Svindlerens ofre | website=VG Nett | date=19 February 2019 | url=https://www.vg.no/spesial/2019/svindelofre/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206170328/https://www.vg.no/spesial/2019/svindelofre/|archive-date=8 February 2022| language=no | access-date=6 February 2022}}</ref> who later accused him of misusing their credit card.<ref name="brooklyncard">{{cite news| title=Israelsk ektepar i New York: Tindersvindleren lurte oss for 42.000 dollar | website=VG Nett | date=22 February 2019 | url=https://www.vg.no/i/OnV3aO | language=nb | access-date=6 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220208200912/https://www.vg.no/nyheter/i/OnV3aO/israelsk-ektepar-i-new-york-tindersvindleren-lurte-oss-for-42000-dollar|archive-date=8 February 2022}}</ref> In 2010 he attended a [[flight school]].<ref name="VG Nett 2019 dob"/> According to interviews done by Felicity Morris, Leviev has been committing minor cons like [[cheque fraud]] since he was a teenager.<ref name="Nast 2022">{{cite web | title=Beware the Tinder Swindler, a Real-Life Dating-App Villain | website=Vanity Fair | date=2 February 2022 | url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/02/02/netflix-the-tinder-swindler-shimon-hayut-simon-leviev | access-date=6 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220208201105/https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/02/02/netflix-the-tinder-swindler-shimon-hayut-simon-leviev|archive-date=8 February 2011}}</ref> He later changed his legal name from Shimon Hayut to Simon Leviev, using the surname Leviev to pretend he was related to [[Lev Avnerovich Leviev]], an Israeli businessman known as "The King of Diamonds".<ref name="Padin 2022">{{cite web | last=Padin | first=Malvika | title=All the details about Tinder Swindler Simon Leviev - including where he is now | website=mirror | date=3 February 2022 | url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/inside-tinder-swindler-simon-levievs-26127091 | access-date=6 February 2022}}</ref>
+At the age of 15 he moved to [[Brooklyn, New York]] in the US with his family's friends. According to interviews done by Felicity Morris, Leviev has been committing minor cons like [[cheque fraud]] since he was a teenager.<ref name="Nast 2022">{{cite magazine | title=Beware the Tinder Swindler, a Real-Life Dating-App Villain | magazine=Vanity Fair | date=2 February 2022 | url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/02/02/netflix-the-tinder-swindler-shimon-hayut-simon-leviev | access-date=6 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220208201105/https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/02/02/netflix-the-tinder-swindler-shimon-hayut-simon-leviev|archive-date=8 February 2022}}</ref> He later changed his legal name from Shimon Hayut to Simon Leviev, using the surname Leviev to pretend he was related to [[Lev Avnerovich Leviev]], an Israeli businessman known as "The King of Diamonds".<ref name="Padin 2022">{{cite web | last=Padin | first=Malvika | title=All the details about Tinder Swindler Simon Leviev - including where he is now | website=mirror | date=3 February 2022 | url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/inside-tinder-swindler-simon-levievs-26127091 | access-date=6 February 2022 | archive-date=7 February 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220207114259/https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/inside-tinder-swindler-simon-levievs-26127091 | url-status=live }}</ref>
-It is alleged that Simon's father is the [https://www.timesofisrael.com/el-al-rabbi-accused-in-fraud-scheme-alongside-son-the-tinder-swindler/amp/ chief rabbi] of El Al airlines, who is responsible for assisting his son by leveraging his capital and connections.
+== Criminal activity and legal trouble ==
+In 2011, Hayut was charged in Israel with [[theft]], [[forgery]], and [[fraud]] for cashing stolen checks.<ref name="extrad" /> According to reports, he stole a checkbook belonging to a family while babysitting their child, and another's while working as a handyman at their home.<ref name="extrad" /> He never showed up in court and escaped the country across the border into [[Jordan]] with a fake passport under the name Mordechai Nisim Tapiro, and fled to Europe.<ref name="VGNett_2019"/><ref name="VG Nett 2019">{{cite news |author=Natalie Remøe Hansen |author2=Kristoffer Kumar |author3=Erlend Ofte Arntsen |date=16 February 2019 |title=The Tinder Swindler |url=https://www.vg.no/spesial/2019/tindersvindler/english/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220205200219/https://www.vg.no/spesial/2019/tindersvindler/english/ |archive-date=5 February 2022 |access-date=6 February 2022 |website=VG Nett}}</ref> In 2012, he was indicted by an Israeli court and charged with theft and forgery of checks, as well as for leaving a five-year-old he was babysitting unattended.<ref name="VGNett_2019" /> In 2015, he was arrested in [[Finland]] and was sentenced to three years in prison. When arrested in Finland, he claimed he was an Israeli man born in 1978 and was found with two forged Israeli passports, three forged Israeli driver's licenses, two forged Israeli flight permits, and five American Express credit cards.
+After finishing his sentence early, he returned to Israel to be recharged and sentenced in 2017. However, according to ''[[The Times of Israel]]'', he assumed a different identity by changing his legal name to Simon Leviev and fled the country again.<ref name="Padin 2022" /><ref name="extrad" /> Hayut travelled around [[Europe]], pretending to be different people. He allegedly also presented himself as the son of Russian-Israeli diamond mogul [[Lev Avnerovich Leviev|Lev Leviev]], using the dating app [[Tinder (app)|Tinder]] to contact women as Leviev, and tricked them into loaning him money that he never repaid. He would charm women with lavish gifts, taking them to dinners on private jets. He would later pretend he was being targeted by his "enemies", often sending the same messages and images pretending that his bodyguard was attacked, asking his victims to help him financially.
+In 2019, he was arrested by [[Interpol]] in [[Greece]] after using a forged passport.<ref name="extrad" /><ref name="Nyheter fra Norges mest leste nettavis – VG 2019">{{cite web | title=Israel requests extradition of Tinder fraudster | website=VG Nett | date=2 July 2019 | url=https://www.vg.no/i/VbaMB1 | language=en | access-date=6 February 2022 | archive-date=4 February 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220204230048/https://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/i/VbaMB1/israel-requests-extradition-of-tinder-fraudster | url-status=live }}</ref> Later that year, he was sentenced to 15 months in prison in Israel,<ref name="sentence" /><ref name="Tindersvindleren dømt til 15 måneders fengsel – VG 2019">{{cite news | title=Tindersvindleren dømt til 15 måneders fengsel | website=VG Nett | date=30 December 2019 | url=https://www.vg.no/i/y3pyze | language=nb | access-date=6 February 2022 | archive-date=5 February 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220205104735/https://www.vg.no/nyheter/utenriks/i/y3pyze/tindersvindleren-doemt-til-15-maaneders-fengsel | url-status=live }}</ref> but was released five months later as a result of the [[coronavirus pandemic]].<ref name="Mitchell 2022">{{cite web | last=Mitchell | first=Molli | title=LLD Diamonds responds to "Tinder Swinder" Simon Leviev's lies | website=Newsweek | date=4 February 2022 | url=https://www.newsweek.com/lld-diamonds-simon-leviev-response-comment-tinder-swindler-netflix-shimon-hayut-1676130 | access-date=6 February 2022 | archive-date=4 February 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220204093812/https://www.newsweek.com/lld-diamonds-simon-leviev-response-comment-tinder-swindler-netflix-shimon-hayut-1676130 | url-status=live }}</ref> According to ''[[Daily Mirror|The Mirror]]'', he later offered "business advice" for a fee via a website.<ref>{{Cite web|last=O'Sullivan|first=Kyle|date=2022-02-02|title=Tinder Swindler went back on dating app after sick scam and now seeing a model|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/tinder-swindler-now-shimon-hayut-26118262|access-date=2022-02-13|website=mirror|language=en|archive-date=14 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220214211226/https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/tinder-swindler-now-shimon-hayut-26118262|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2022-02-02|title=Home {{!}} Simon Leviev|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220202125400/http://simonleviev.online/|access-date=2022-02-13|url=http://simonleviev.online/|archive-date=2022-02-02}}</ref> According to ''[[The Times of Israel]]'', in 2020 he pretended to be a [[healthcare worker|medical worker]] to get the [[COVID-19 vaccine]] early.<ref name="The Times of Israel 2020">{{cite web | title='Tinder swindler' faked being medic, conned his way into early vaccine – report | website=The Times of Israel | date=30 December 2020 | url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/tinder-swindler-faked-being-medic-conned-his-way-into-early-vaccine-report/ | access-date=6 February 2022 | archive-date=30 December 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230105907/https://www.timesofisrael.com/tinder-swindler-faked-being-medic-conned-his-way-into-early-vaccine-report/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="inews.co.uk 2022">{{cite web | title=What happened to Tinder Swindler Shimon Hayut after the scam is covered Netflix | website=inews.co.uk | date=3 February 2022 | url=https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/simon-leviev-now-tinder-swindler-shimon-hayut-what-happend-diamonds-netflix-series-1438051 | access-date=6 February 2022 | archive-date=7 February 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220207221111/https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/simon-leviev-now-tinder-swindler-shimon-hayut-what-happend-diamonds-netflix-series-1438051 | url-status=live }}</ref>
+In an interview with [[CNN]] on 21 February 2022, he denied defrauding the women, claiming he was just a "single guy who wanted to meet some girls on Tinder."<ref name="France 2022">{{cite web | last=France | first=Lisa Respers | title='Tinder Swindler's' Simon Leviev 'just wanted to meet some girls' | website=CNN | date=21 February 2022 | url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/21/entertainment/tinder-swindler-simon-leviev-interview/index.html | access-date=23 February 2022 | archive-date=16 November 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231116180937/https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/21/entertainment/tinder-swindler-simon-leviev-interview/index.html | url-status=live }}</ref>
-== Criminal activity and arrests ==
-In 2011, Hayut was charged with [[theft]], [[forgery]] and [[fraud]] for cashing stolen checks.<ref name="extrad" /> According to reports, he stole a checkbook belonging to a family while babysitting their child, and another's while working as a handyman at their home.<ref name="extrad" /> He never showed up in court, and escaped the country across the border into [[Jordan]] with a fake passport under the name Mordechai Nisim Tapiro, and fled to Europe.<ref name="VG Nett 2019 dob" /><ref name="VG Nett 2019" /> In 2012, he was indicted by an Israeli court and charged with theft and forgery of checks, as well as for leaving a five-year-old he was babysitting unattended.<ref name="VG Nett 2019 dob" /> In 2015, he was arrested in [[Finland]] and was sentenced to three years in prison for defrauding several women.<ref name="Sipilä 2016">{{cite web | last=Sipilä | first=Jarkko | title=Israelilainen "monimiljonääri" huijasi naisia - kolme synkkää tarinaa | website=mtvuutiset.fi | date=7 February 2016 | url=https://www.mtvuutiset.fi/artikkeli/israelilainen-monimiljonaari-huijasi-naisia-kolme-synkkaa-tarinaa/5725826 | language=fi | access-date=6 February 2022}}</ref> When arrested in Finland, he claimed he was an Israeli man born in 1978, and was found with two forged Israeli passports, three forged Israeli driver's licenses, two forged Israeli flight permits, and five forged American Express credit cards.<ref name="Sipilä 2016" />
+In February 2022, attorneys for the Leviev family filed a criminal complaint against Hayut with the [[Tel Aviv]] Magistrate's Court, for libelous publications, infringing privacy and violating trademark orders.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Shafir |first=Nitsan |date=2022-02-28 |title=Leviev family files criminal complaint against 'Tinder Swindler' |language=en |work=Globes |url=https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-leviev-family-files-criminal-complaint-against-tinder-swindler-1001403848 |access-date=2022-06-29 |archive-date=29 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220629043851/https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-leviev-family-files-criminal-complaint-against-tinder-swindler-1001403848 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="NBC News 2022 sued">{{cite web | title='Tinder Swindler' Simon Leviev sued by diamond magnate's family over impersonation | website=NBC News | date=1 March 2022 | url=https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/tinder-swindler-simon-leviev-sued-diamond-magnates-family-impersonatio-rcna18105 | access-date=4 March 2022 | archive-date=4 March 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220304000549/https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/tinder-swindler-simon-leviev-sued-diamond-magnates-family-impersonatio-rcna18105 | url-status=live }}</ref> In July 2022, they filed another criminal complaint against Hayut for damaging the family's name.<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 July 2022 |title=Leviev family submits criminal complaint against 'Tinder Swindler' Hayut |url=https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-712096 |access-date=2022-07-14 |website=The Jerusalem Post |language=en-US |archive-date=14 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220714195551/https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-712096 |url-status=live }}</ref> The hearing of the Leviev family's complaint was postponed after the Israeli prosecutor's office sent a request to postpone the hearing on the grounds that Simon Leviev is the focus of a criminal investigation for the same offenses.
-After finishing his sentence early, he returned to Israel to be recharged and sentenced in 2017. However, according to ''The Times of Israel'', he assumed a different identity by changing his legal name to Simon Leviev and fled the country again.<ref name="Padin 2022" /><ref name="extrad" /> Hayut travelled around Europe, pretending to be different people. He exploited several women in Germany using the name Michael Bilton.<ref name="Berner Oberländer 2019">{{cite web | title="Ich dachte, das ist einer, der dich an Menschenhändler verkauft" | website=Berner Oberländer | date=9 March 2019 | url=https://amp.berneroberlaender.ch/ich-dachte-das-ist-einer-der-dich-an-menschenhaendler-verkauft-861649582755 | language=de | access-date=6 February 2022}}</ref> He also presented himself as the son of Russian-Israeli diamond mogul Lev Leviev, using the dating app [[Tinder (app)|Tinder]] to contact women as Leviev, and tricked them into loaning him money that he never repaid. He would charm women with lavish gifts and taking them to dinners on private jets using money he borrowed from other women he previously conned.<ref name="extrad" /> He would later pretend he was being targeted by his "enemies", often sending the same messages and images pretending that his bodyguard was attacked, asking his victims to help him financially; they would often take out bank loans and new credit cards in order to help.<ref name="VG Nett 2019">{{cite news| title=The Tinder Swindler | website=VG Nett | date=16 February 2019 | url=https://www.vg.no/spesial/2019/tindersvindler/english/ | access-date=6 February 2022 | author=Natalie Remøe Hansen|author2=Kristoffer Kumar|author3=Erlend Ofte Arntsen}}</ref> He would then use the money gained through the deception to lure new victims, while essentially operating a [[Ponzi scheme]].<ref name="VG Nett 2019" /><ref name="Steinberg 2022">{{cite web | last=Steinberg | first=Jessica | title=‘Tinder Swindler’ documentary on Israeli con man hits Netflix | website=The Times of Israel | date=3 February 2022 | url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/tinder-swindler-documentary-on-israeli-con-man-hits-netflix/ | access-date=6 February 2022}}</ref> Later, he would pretend to repay his victims by sending forged documents showing fake bank transfers.<ref name="VG Nett 2019" />
+== In popular culture ==
-In 2019, he was arrested by [[Interpol]] in Greece after using a forged passport.<ref name="extrad" /><ref name="Nyheter fra Norges mest leste nettavis – VG 2019">{{cite web | title=Israel requests extradition of Tinder fraudster | website=VG Nett| date=2 July 2019 | url=https://www.vg.no/i/VbaMB1 | language=en | access-date=6 February 2022}}</ref> Later that year, he was sentenced to 15 months in prison in Israel,<ref name="sentence" /><ref name="Tindersvindleren dømt til 15 måneders fengsel – VG 2019">{{cite news| title=Tindersvindleren dømt til 15 måneders fengsel | website=VG Nett | date=30 December 2019 | url=https://www.vg.no/i/y3pyze | language=nb | access-date=6 February 2022}}</ref> but was released five months later as a result of the [[coronavirus pandemic]].<ref name="Mitchell 2022">{{cite web | last=Mitchell | first=Molli | title=LLD Diamonds responds to "Tinder Swinder" Simon Leviev's lies | website=Newsweek | date=4 February 2022 | url=https://www.newsweek.com/lld-diamonds-simon-leviev-response-comment-tinder-swindler-netflix-shimon-hayut-1676130 | access-date=6 February 2022}}</ref> According to ''The Times of Israel'', in 2020 he pretended to be a [[healthcare worker|medical worker]] to get the [[COVID-19 vaccine]] early.<ref name="The Times of Israel 2020">{{cite web | title=‘Tinder swindler’ faked being medic, conned his way into early vaccine – report | website=The Times of Israel | date=30 December 2020 | url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/tinder-swindler-faked-being-medic-conned-his-way-into-early-vaccine-report/ | access-date=6 February 2022}}</ref><ref name="inews.co.uk 2022">{{cite web | title=What happened to Tinder Swindler Shimon Hayut after the scam is covered Netflix | website=inews.co.uk | date=3 February 2022 | url=https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/simon-leviev-now-tinder-swindler-shimon-hayut-what-happend-diamonds-netflix-series-1438051 | access-date=6 February 2022}}</ref>
+In 2022, [[Netflix]] released a video documentary, ''[[The Tinder Swindler]]'', which describes his story as told by three women.<ref name="Cumming 2022">{{cite web |last=Cumming |first=Ed |date=5 February 2022 |title=The Tinder Swindler tells the story of a cruel yet charismatic conman – review |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/tinder-swindler-simon-leviev-netflix-lld-diamonds-b2008325.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220208194403/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/tinder-swindler-simon-leviev-netflix-lld-diamonds-b2008325.html |archive-date=8 February 2022 |access-date=6 February 2022 |website=The Independent}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Vernon|first=Polly|date=1 February 2022|title=I was in love with the Tinder Swindler|language=en|work=[[The Times]]|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/i-was-in-love-with-the-tinder-swindler-jflx3wb7q|access-date=2022-02-18|issn=0140-0460|archive-date=18 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220218165015/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/i-was-in-love-with-the-tinder-swindler-jflx3wb7q|url-status=live}}</ref> According to ''[[The Washington Post]]'', following the release of the documentary, the movie has become the most ever watched Documentary on Netflix, and was nominated for five Emmy awards.
+In 2022, shortly after the release of the documentary, Leviev signed with talent manager Gina Rodriguez of Gitoni Inc. in pursuing a career in the entertainment industry. He is working on publishing a book, along with a movie and TV Series based on his life story.<ref>{{Cite web|title='Tinder Swindler' Simon Leviev Joins Cameo, Signs With Manager: Inside His Hollywood Plans {{!}} Entertainment Tonight|url=https://www.etonline.com/tinder-swindler-simon-leviev-joins-cameo-signs-with-manager-inside-his-hollywood-plans-179407|access-date=2022-02-22|website=www.etonline.com|language=en-US|archive-date=22 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220222191831/https://www.etonline.com/tinder-swindler-simon-leviev-joins-cameo-signs-with-manager-inside-his-hollywood-plans-179407|url-status=live}}</ref> He also has a [[Cameo (website)|Cameo]] account, where he charged US$99.00 for personalized videos.<ref>[https://www.cameo.com/simonleviev Simon Leviev] {{Dead link|date=October 2024}}</ref>
-Hayut is also wanted for various fraud and forgery offenses by Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom.<ref name="extrad" />
+In August 2024, Simon Leviev released his biography titled "I am Simon Leviev."
-In 2022, [[Netflix]] released a video documentary, ''[[The Tinder Swindler]]'', which describes his story as told by some of his victims.<ref name="Cumming 2022" /> According to ''[[The Washington Post]]'', following the release of the documentary, Tinder banned Hayut from their app.<ref name="Hassan 2022">{{cite web | last=Hassan | first=Jennifer | title=‘Tinder Swindler’ con artist, subject of new Netflix documentary, reportedly banned from dating app | website=Washington Post | date=6 February 2022 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2022/02/06/tinder-bans-tinder-swindler-netflix-hayut-leviev/ | access-date=6 February 2022}}</ref> He is also banned from other apps under [[Match Group Inc]], including Match.com, Plenty of Fish and OkCupid.<ref name="NBC News 2022 ban">{{cite web | title=Simon Leviev, subject of Netflix's ‘Tinder Swindler,’ banned from dating apps | website=NBC News | date=8 February 2022 | url=https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/simon-leviev-subject-netflixs-tinder-swindler-banned-dating-apps-rcna15330 | access-date=8 February 2022}}</ref>
 == References ==
@@ Line 38: / Line 46: @@
 == External links ==
 * [https://www.vg.no/spesial/2019/tindersvindleren/english/ ''The Tinder Swindler''] at VG.no
+* [https://www.psychvarsity.com/The-Tinder-Swindler-Simon-Leviev-Finally-Speaks-Up-With-Inside-Edition-In-Feb-2023 Simon Leviev claims to be completely innocent in Feb 2023]
 {{Authority control}}
@@ Line 47: / Line 56: @@
 [[Category:People convicted of fraud]]
 [[Category:Israeli fraudsters]]
+[[Category:Israeli Jews]]
 [[Category:Pyramid and Ponzi schemes]]
 [[Category:People from Bnei Brak]]
+[[Category:Confidence tricksters]]