That notorious con artist from Netflix’s wild documentary “The Tinder Swindler” is back in custody.
Simon Leviev—real name Shimon Yehuda Hayut—was arrested in Georgia at Interpol’s request after landing at Batumi airport in September 2025.
Leviev shot to international fame after the 2022 Netflix documentary exposed his elaborate romance scams.
He posed as a diamond heir on dating apps and persuaded women to loan him huge sums of money. The scheme involved an estimated $10 million in fraud across multiple victims.
This latest arrest is just another twist in Leviev’s ongoing legal saga.
He already served five months in prison for fraud back in 2019. The victims of his scams have expressed relief at hearing he’s behind bars again.
Key Takeaways
- Simon Leviev was arrested in Georgia by Interpol for alleged fraud tied to his Tinder romance scams.
- He previously defrauded women of roughly $10 million by pretending to be a wealthy diamond heir.
- His victims have voiced relief after years of chasing justice.
Latest Arrest of the Tinder Swindler in Georgia
Shimon Hayut, better known as Simon Leviev, got arrested in Georgia on Sunday at Batumi International Airport after Interpol flagged him.
The 34-year-old convicted fraudster was detained as soon as he landed—though it’s still a mystery which country wanted him most.
Circumstances of the Detainment at Batumi International Airport
The Tinder Swindler was taken into custody at Batumi international airport in southwestern Georgia.
He barely set foot off the plane before authorities nabbed him.
Georgian officials acted fast when Hayut arrived.
This timing hints at serious coordination between law enforcement agencies from different countries.
Batumi’s airport, sitting on the Black Sea, made for a strategic spot to pull off the arrest.
The city is a major international gateway—probably not the easiest place to slip through unnoticed.
Key details of the arrest:
- Location: Batumi International Airport
- Day: Sunday
- Method: Immediate detention upon arrival
- Authority: Georgian Interior Ministry
Hayut’s lawyer told Israeli media he didn’t really know what grounds authorities had for the arrest.
He said he spoke with Hayut but couldn’t get a clear reason for the detention.
Role of Interpol Red Notice in the Arrest
An Interpol red notice triggered Hayut’s detention in Georgia.
These red notices basically tell police worldwide to look out for fugitives wanted for prosecution or sentencing.
The Georgian Interior Ministry confirmed that Interpol made the request.
Spokesperson Tato Kuchava didn’t share many details about the warrant—no surprise there.
Interpol Red Notice Functions:
- Alerts member countries about wanted people
- Helps police forces coordinate across borders
- Allows arrests in any country that participates
- Kickstarts extradition processes
We still don’t know which country asked Georgia to arrest Hayut. That kind of secrecy is pretty standard in these cross-border legal dramas.
Hayut had been traveling around the world freely before this latest bust.
His lawyer said there weren’t any previous travel restrictions.
Legal Proceedings and Extradition Requests
Hayut was convicted of fraud, forgery, and theft in Israel back in 2019.
He only served five months of a 15-month sentence, thanks to Covid-era early releases.
The court told him to pay £35,000 to victims as compensation.
He also got slapped with a £4,600 fine for carrying a fake passport.
Between 2017 and 2019, Hayut allegedly swindled women out of about £7.4 million through dating app scams.
He pretended to be the son of billionaire diamond tycoon Lev Leviev.
Previous Legal Consequences:
- Conviction: 4 charges in Israel (2019)
- Prison time: 5 months served out of 15
- Compensation: £35,000 ordered to victims
- Fine: £4,600 for false documents
Legal claims keep piling up against him.
Last November, victim Iren Tranov filed for 414,000 shekels (£91,000) in Israeli courts.
This new arrest might involve fresh charges or unresolved warrants.
Georgia has put Hayut in extradition custody while things get sorted out.
Background on Simon Leviev and His Crimes
Shimon Yehuda Hayut built his criminal career through elaborate fraud schemes that spanned several countries.
He became world-famous as the Tinder Swindler after the Netflix documentary revealed how he scammed women out of millions using romance scams and identity theft. His story was chronicled in Netflix’s hit documentary.
Early Crimes in Israel and Escape
Hayut started his criminal activities in Israel before going global.
He used fake identities and forged documents to pull off various frauds.
The pattern of deception began early in his career.
He created false personas to gain trust and access to victims’ money.
Over time, his crimes got bolder as he refined his methods.
He learned to exploit emotional connections and present himself as both wealthy and trustworthy. That’s a dangerous combo.
When Israeli authorities started closing in, Hayut skipped town.
That escape let him keep running his scams across Europe and beyond without immediate consequences.
Romance Fraud Techniques on Tinder
He targeted women using slick profiles that screamed “money.”
His romance fraud followed a pretty clear pattern:
- Initial Contact: Claimed to be a rich businessman
- Luxury Dates: Lavish meals, jets, hotels
- Trust Building: Lots of gifts and attention
- Emergency Stories: Made-up crises needing fast cash
- Financial Exploitation: Talked women into loans or credit cards
The scam was unusually convincing—fake luxury, bodyguards, jets, you name it.
He took out loans and credit lines in victims’ names, then vanished.
Impersonation of Lev Leviev and Multiple Aliases
Hayut’s most successful character was Simon Leviev, the supposed son of diamond mogul Lev Leviev.
This fake persona gave him instant credibility and made his wealth look legit to potential victims.
He’s used at least five different aliases in different countries and scams.
Each identity came with its own backstory and fake paperwork.
The Lev Leviev impersonation worked so well because:
- The real diamond empire was a believable cover
- It explained the private jets and luxury lifestyle
- Victims bought into the idea of family wealth
- His “emergencies” sounded temporary and plausible
He used fake passports and forged documents to keep his identities going.
That let him travel between countries and dodge law enforcement for years.
Between 2017 and 2019, he stole about $10 million from women with these impersonation tricks in multiple countries.
Victims, Documentary Impact, and Public Response
The Netflix documentary shined a spotlight on Hayut’s victims and the financial devastation they faced.
It also sparked bigger conversations about romance fraud and dating app safety. Two victims of Simon Leviev said they felt relief after hearing about his arrest in Georgia.
Notable Victims and Their Stories
Cecilie Fjellhøy became one of the most visible victims in the Netflix film.
She went through serious financial and emotional trauma because of Hayut’s schemes.
Since then, Fjellhøy has become an advocate for other victims.
She now fights for people targeted by romance scams and helps them seek justice.
The documentary revealed victims lost millions collectively.
Simon Leviev scammed around $15 million through his romance frauds.
Individual losses were all over the map.
One German woman lost nearly 44,000 euros, plus extra costs for hotels and flights in the Cayman Islands.
Influence of the Netflix Documentary
The Tinder Swindler documentary exploded in 2022, making romance fraud a hot topic worldwide.
Director Felicity Morris crafted a story that really hit home for a lot of viewers.
The film’s success led to more awareness about dating app risks.
It also opened the door for more advocacy work—Fjellhøy now stars in Netflix’s latest true-crime docuseries, “Love Con Revenge.”
This new series focuses on helping romance scam victims find justice.
Cecilie Fjellhøy helps victims on the show—she’s really turned her experience into something positive for others.
Consequences for Online Dating Platforms
Tinder got a wave of attention after the documentary dropped. People started really questioning how the platform let Hayut’s scams happen.
Dating apps in general felt the heat to boost their safety features. Suddenly, users were a lot more alert to romance scam red flags.
The documentary also shined a light on the bigger problem: online dating verification is still pretty shaky. Platforms scrambled to explain how they actually confirm user identities—if they even do.
Social media went wild after the documentary blew up. Simon Hayut has been the topic of much social media criticism since the show’s release, and honestly, the backlash doesn’t seem to be fading.
Legal Consequences and International Fallout
Shimon Hayut faced multiple arrests across different countries. He did prison time in Israel, then got detained again in Georgia. It’s wild how he kept traveling internationally, even with fraud convictions hanging over him. Shows just how messy cross-border law enforcement can get.
Prior Arrests and Sentencing in Europe
Hayut was convicted of four fraud charges in 2019 and the Israeli court handed him a 15-month sentence. He only ended up serving five months before getting out.
The court found him guilty of financial crimes that weren’t even the Tinder scams from Netflix. His early release let him keep operating across borders, which is honestly pretty frustrating.
Key Legal Outcomes:
- Conviction: Four fraud charges in Israel
- Sentence: 15 months imprisonment
- Time Served: 5 months actual incarceration
- Restitution: Victims received minimal compensation
Multiple lawsuits followed his release. For example, Iren Tranov filed a case seeking 414,000 shekels for unpaid loans—over 144,000 shekels in total. That’s a lot of money to just disappear.
Hayut’s Attempts to Evade Law Enforcement
Hayut’s lawyer said he’d been “traveling freely around the world” before his arrest in Georgia. This international mobility made prosecution across different countries a nightmare.
He used at least five aliases during his scams. Most people knew him as Simon Leviev, but his real name is Shimon Yehuda Hayut.
He flew on private jets and lived it up with luxury travel, which helped him sell his fake persona. It also made tracking him way harder for authorities. His lavish lifestyle—all funded by victims—let him stay one step ahead.
They finally arrested him at Batumi airport, thanks to Interpol. I guess international cooperation finally paid off, even if it took a while.
Global Response to Romance Scams
Cases like Hayut’s really pushed law enforcement agencies to work together more closely. Interpol put out notices that eventually led to his capture in Georgia.
Dating platforms faced more pressure to tighten up their verification systems after everyone saw how easily Hayut made fake profiles. The whole thing exposed some glaring weaknesses in online identity checks.
International Impact:
- Better cross-border fraud investigations
- Stronger dating app security
- Way more public awareness of romance scams
- More support for victims
The Netflix documentary became the most-watched documentary in 90 countries. That kind of reach brought global attention to these scams and encouraged other victims to speak up.
These days, law enforcement uses Hayut’s case as a training example for spotting and prosecuting international romance fraud. If only it hadn’t taken so long to get there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Shimon Hayut’s arrest—yeah, the guy known as the Tinder Swindler—sparked a lot of questions. People want to know what charges he’s facing, how he finally got caught, and what’s being done to protect future victims.
What charges have been brought against the individual known as the ‘Tinder Swindler’?
German prosecutors say Hayut stole nearly 44,000 euros from a Berlin woman between 2017 and 2019. The charges include racking up thousands in expenses using her credit card and a phone contract in her name.
The woman also paid almost 9,000 euros for his hotel stays and flights in the Cayman Islands. He claimed his credit card was blocked and, of course, never paid her back.
Hayut already got a 15-month sentence for fraud in Israel back in 2019, but he only served five months. That’s not much, considering the damage.
How was the alleged ‘Tinder Swindler’ apprehended by authorities?
Authorities arrested Hayut at Batumi International Airport in Georgia after hours of questioning. The arrest happened because Germany requested an Interpol warrant.
Georgian officials detained him based on that international warrant. A court in Georgia decided he’d stay in jail for three months, or until Germany can extradite him.
His lawyer said Hayut had been traveling all over—Dubai, Europe, Eastern Europe—with no legal issues until now. Guess his luck finally ran out.
What are the potential legal consequences facing the accused ‘Tinder Swindler’ upon conviction?
Germany hasn’t shared the specific penalties Hayut might face if convicted. For reference, his last conviction in Israel got him 15 months in prison for fraud.
His lawyer claims that Hayut hasn’t been formally charged with a crime in Germany yet. Right now, he’s being held because of the extradition request and the accusations.
Hayut’s appealing his detention in Georgia. He’s also trying to get the German case tossed out entirely. Not sure how that’ll go for him.
How have dating platforms responded to the arrest of the so-called ‘Tinder Swindler’?
Honestly, there’s no real info about how dating platforms have responded to Hayut’s latest arrest. The sources just don’t cover it.
What measures can users take to protect themselves from similar types of online dating scams?
Romance scams are all about building online trust and then exploiting people for money. If someone you just met online starts professing love or asks for cash, be wary.
Don’t send money or share your credit card details with anyone you haven’t met in person. If someone seems rich but suddenly needs your help financially, that’s a major red flag.
Try to verify their identity—use video calls, run a reverse image search. And if your gut says something’s off, listen to it. Better to be a little suspicious than end up a victim.
Can victims of the ‘Tinder Swindler’ scam expect any form of restitution or justice?
Some victims might see a bit of justice through ongoing legal proceedings. Still, getting lost money back from international scams? That’s a whole different headache—usually slow and complicated.
Channel 12 estimated that Hayut swindled about $10 million from women between 2017 and 2019.
The scale here is wild, with people in several countries affected.
If victims want their money back, they’ll probably have to file separate civil cases. Criminal courts mainly go after punishment, not paying folks back, which feels frustrating but is often how these things go.
Online forums discuss the stories of the Tinder Swindler’s victims extensively.
Awareness campaigns have been launched to educate people about the Tinder Swindler.
The Tinder Swindler’s impact is still felt across various communities.
His story serves as a grim reminder of the risks of online dating, especially with the Tinder Swindler.
Public interest surrounding the Tinder Swindler has grown significantly.
Legislation may evolve due to the notoriety of the Tinder Swindler.
Online dating platforms have tightened security in response to the Tinder Swindler’s actions.
Many are now more cautious after hearing about the Tinder Swindler.
Survivors of the Tinder Swindler have come forward to share their stories.
The term ‘Tinder Swindler’ has become a cautionary tale for online daters.
Many documentaries, including the one about the Tinder Swindler, shed light on these crimes.
Support groups have emerged for victims of the Tinder Swindler’s scams.
Discussion around the Tinder Swindler has led to increased awareness about online safety.
The media has extensively covered the story of the Tinder Swindler.
Victims often report their experiences to raise awareness about the Tinder Swindler.
As the Tinder Swindler, his methods have been studied by fraud experts worldwide.
The term ‘Tinder Swindler’ has become synonymous with online dating scams.
The Netflix documentary not only showcased his schemes but also branded him as the Tinder Swindler.
Many have referred to him as the Tinder Swindler, highlighting the impact of his actions on countless lives.
