Georgian Authorities Arrest ‘Tinder Swindler’ Simon Leviev at Airport

A convicted Israeli con artist, known as the “Tinder Swindler,” was apprehended by Georgian authorities on March 31, 2024. Simon Leviev, formerly known as Shimon Yehuda Hayut, was taken into custody upon his arrival at Batumi Airport. His lawyer, Sagiv Rotenberg, confirmed the arrest, stating, “I spoke with him after he was detained, but we don’t yet understand the reason.” Leviev had reportedly been traveling freely across various countries prior to this incident.

According to the Interior Ministry of Georgia, Leviev’s arrest occurred due to a red notice issued by Interpol. The notice is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition. Leviev gained notoriety following the release of a 2022 Netflix documentary that detailed his elaborate scheme to defraud women on the dating app Tinder. He posed as the heir to a diamond fortune, claiming to be the son of billionaire Lev Leviev, and used this false identity to gain the trust of multiple victims.

While courting his targets, Leviev displayed an extravagant lifestyle, often flying in private jets, staying in luxury hotels, and driving expensive vehicles. Victims were led to believe he was in love with them, only to be later manipulated into providing significant financial assistance under the pretense of urgent financial difficulties.

Among his victims, a former acquaintance named Iren Tranov filed a lawsuit against Leviev in November 2023, seeking $170,500 after she claimed to have lent him $59,000 with no repayment. The pattern of deception extended beyond personal relationships; Leviev also faced legal action from Ruthy Leviev Yelizarov and her husband, Ephraim Yelizarov. They filed a criminal complaint in March 2024, alleging that he tarnished their family’s reputation by impersonating their brother.

“It started on the family WhatsApp a few years ago,” Ruthy Leviev Yelizarov testified in court. “All kinds of questions started coming up about company cheques that bounced. After that, my brother said that girls contacted him on Facebook and said that someone was impersonating his brother.” The family gradually became aware of Leviev’s fraudulent activities, realizing he was exploiting their name to further his scams.

Beyond personal fraud, Leviev is believed to have engaged in broader financial schemes, including a Ponzi operation that defrauded various individuals and institutions. His criminal history includes a previous arrest in Greece in 2019, leading to his extradition to Israel. Leviev was convicted of multiple charges, including fraud, forgery, and theft. He received a 15-month prison sentence but was released after serving only five months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the investigation progresses in Georgia, the implications of Leviev’s actions continue to unfold, raising questions about the efficacy of international law enforcement collaboration in tackling transnational fraud. The case serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities inherent in online dating and the lengths to which some individuals will go to exploit trust.