Netflix's 'Tinder Swindler' Simon Leviev Arrested
Notorious con artist Shimon Hayut, known to the world as Simon Leviev, has been detained by authorities in Georgia on an Interpol Red Notice, three years after his infamous exploits were documented in a Netflix film.
Shimon Yehuda Hayut, the convicted fraudster widely known by his alias, Simon Leviev, was arrested in Georgia on Sunday upon his arrival at Batumi International Airport. The arrest was carried out by the Border and Immigration Police Service on a Red Notice from Interpol. While the specific state that issued the notice has not been officially confirmed, it is presumed to be Israel, as only a suspect's country of citizenship can typically request such an extradition.
Hayut's Israeli lawyers, Sagiv and Nir Rotenberg, stated that the reason for the arrest was unclear to them, a point that has been reported by Israeli media. "I spoke with him this morning after he was detained, but we don't yet understand the reason," one of the attorneys said, adding that his client "has been traveling freely around the world." Local police sources have since confirmed that Hayut is being held in solitary confinement at the Batumi Temporary Detention Isolator and has been assigned a state-appointed lawyer.
Hayut gained international infamy following the 2022 Netflix documentary, The Tinder Swindler. The film alleged that he posed as the son of a billionaire diamond mogul and used the dating app Tinder to gain the trust of women. He would then convince them to lend him large sums of money, often claiming to be in danger and in need of immediate financial assistance. His victims were left with crippling debt, while Hayut would use their money to fund a lavish lifestyle of private jets, luxury hotels, and expensive cars to attract more victims.
In the Netflix film, Hayut denied all allegations, claiming he was a "legitimate businessman" who made his fortune from early investments in Bitcoin. He was previously convicted in 2019 for fraud, serving only five months of a 15-month sentence in an Israeli prison. In November, a new lawsuit was filed against him by a former friend, Iren Tranov, who alleges he failed to repay a loan of over 144,000 shekels.
According to a Georgian lawyer specializing in such cases, Hayut is expected to appear in court within 48 hours. The process could take several months as the court determines whether to grant the extradition request and ensures that he would not face political persecution or inhumane treatment in the country that issued the Red Notice.