Simon Leviev
{{Short description|Israeli Entrepreneur and Businessman (born 1990)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox criminal
| name = Simon Leviev
| alias =
| image =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|27 September 1990}}{{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}}
| birth_place = Ramat Elchanan, Bnei Brak, Israel
| criminal_charge = Theft, forgery, and fraud
| criminal_penalty = *3 years in Finnish prison
- 15 months in Israeli prison, {{Currency|150000|ILS}} compensation, {{Currency|20000|ILS}} fine
| birth_name = Shimon Yehuda Hayut
| imprisoned = Finland (2015), Israel (2019)
| conviction_status = Released
| native_name = סיימון לבייב
| native_name_lang = he
}}
Simon Leviev ({{langx|he|סיימון לבייב}}; born Shimon Yehuda Hayut, 27 September 1990) is an Israeli citizen who rose to fame due to his widely publicized criminal convictions for large-scale fraud. According to The Times of Israel, between 2017 and 2019 he allegedly conned 1 billion dollars from people and banks in a Ponzi scheme.{{cite web | last=Kranc | first=Lauren | title='The Tinder Swindler' True Story: Where Is Simon Leviev Now? | website=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}}{{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}} 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.{{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}}
Early life
Leviev was born Shimon Yehuda Hayut ({{langx|he| שמעון יהודה חיות}}) in 1990 in Ramat Elchanan, Bnei Brak, Israel. His father is Yohanan Hayut, the chief rabbi of El Al airlines.{{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 }}
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.{{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}} 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".{{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 }}
Criminal activity and legal trouble
In 2011, Hayut was charged in Israel with theft, forgery, and fraud for cashing stolen checks. 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. 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.{{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}} 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. 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. 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.{{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 }} Later that year, he was sentenced to 15 months in prison in Israel,{{cite web |date=30 December 2019 |title=Israeli 'Tinder swindler' sentenced to 15 months in prison |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-tinder-swindler-sentenced-to-15-months-in-prison/ |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 |website=Time of Israel}}{{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 }} but was released five months later as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.{{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 }} According to The Mirror, he later offered "business advice" for a fee via a website.{{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}}{{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}} According to The Times of Israel, in 2020 he pretended to be a medical worker to get the COVID-19 vaccine early.{{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 }}{{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 }}
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."{{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 }}
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.{{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 }}{{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 }} In July 2022, they filed another criminal complaint against Hayut for damaging the family's name.{{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 }} 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.{{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}}{{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.com/culture/tv-radio/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}} 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.{{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}}
In August 2024, Simon Leviev released his biography titled "I am Simon Leviev."{{cn|date=January 2025}}
References
{{Reflist}}
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}}
{{Portal bar|Biography|Crime|Internet|Israel}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leviev, Simon}}
Category:People convicted of fraud
Category:Pyramid and Ponzi schemes