Netflix's The Tinder Swindler is our latest true crime obsession, telling the story of a conman who used the titular dating app to scam his victims.
The film dropped on Netflix today (2nd February), with the streaming platform teasing: "You’ll never 'swipe right' the same again after watching this new film [which] tells the jaw-dropping story of a prolific conman who posed as a billionaire playboy on Tinder, and the women who set out to bring him down."
The Tinder Swindler focuses on a man named Shimon Hayut, who used the name Simon Leviev on Tinder to carry out his alleged scams. So, who is he, and where is Simon from The Tinder Swindler now?
Who is Simon Leviev from The Tinder Swindler?
Simon Leviev, whose real name is Shimon Hayut, is an Israeli conman who used dating app Tinder to defraud women out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. The Netflix documentary focuses on the stories of three of his victims and (if you need a reminder), the trailer is *gripping*:
According to the Netflix documentaryHayut reportedly pretended to be the son of Israeli businessman and so-called "King of Diamonds", Lev Leviev. He used the name Simon Leviev on Tinder, enticing women with expensive gifts and private jets before tricking them out of huge amounts of money.
Where is Simon Leviev from The Tinder Swindler now?
According to reports, Hayut (aka Simon Leviev) was imprisoned in Israel in December 2019 but was released after five months.
On 30th December 2019, it was reported that Hayut had been sentenced to 15 months in prison, convicted of four fraud charges. He was reportedly ordered to pay his victims NIS 150,000 [Israeli currency], which equals around £35,000, in compensation. On top of compensation, he was also ordered to pay a fine of NIS 20,000 (around £4,600), following a plea deal.
Back in 2015, Hayut had been previously charged with defrauding three women by Finnish authorities, sentenced to two years in jail. Then, in 2017, he was returned back to Israel, but he took on a different identity and fled the country again.
Following his 2019 sentencing, Hayut was released from prison after just five months, according to reports in May 2020. It's thought his release was down to a programme aimed at reducing the prison population amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In December 2020, Hayut made headlines again for reportedly pretending to be a medical worker in order to get early access to the coronavirus vaccine.
An Instagram account under the handle @simon_leviev_official recently shared a statement in response to the documentary (via NME), before deleting the account:
"Thank you for all your support. I will share my side of the story in the next few days when I have sorted out the best and most respectful way to tell it, both to the involved parties and myself. Until then, please keep an open mind and heart."
The Tinder Swindler is available to stream on Netflix now.
