Simon Leviev, the convicted con artist who rose to global notoriety as the subject of Netflix’s 2022 hit documentary The Tinder Swindler, has been arrested in Georgia, authorities have confirmed.
Leviev, whose real name is Shimon Yehuda Hayut, was detained at Batumi Airport in southwest Georgia at the request of Interpol, the country’s interior ministry said on Monday. He is 34 years old.
The reason for his arrest has not yet been disclosed. His lawyer told Israeli media that Leviev had been “traveling freely around the world” and that they were still seeking clarity on the case.
Rise and Fall of a ‘Swindler’
Leviev gained worldwide infamy after The Tinder Swindler documentary exposed a $10 million romance scam. Posing as the heir to a diamond empire, he allegedly used Tinder to lure women with luxury trips, gifts, and private jets. Victims said he later claimed to be hunted by “enemies” and persuaded them to lend him large sums of money—loans he never repaid.
Between 2017 and 2019, multiple women said he disappeared after receiving funds. One of the documentary’s central figures, Cecilie Fjellhøy, revealed she gave him more than $270,000. Last year, another victim, Iren Tranov, sued him in Israel for 414,000 shekels (£91,000), claiming she never recovered the 144,000 shekels (£31,000) she loaned him.
Previous Convictions and Abuse Allegations
Leviev’s legal troubles predate the Netflix documentary. In 2019, he was convicted on four counts of fraud in a separate case and served five months of a 15-month prison sentence.
In 2023, his ex-girlfriend, model Kate Konlin, accused him of emotional and physical abuse, alleging he pushed her during an argument and injured her foot. Leviev has denied ever harming any woman.
Global Impact of the Documentary
The Tinder Swindler became Netflix’s most-watched documentary in 90 countries following its release in February 2022, sparking worldwide conversation about online dating scams and fraud.