Tinder swindler banned from dating apps

The alleged con artist, who featured in a Netflix documentary, allegedly defrauded women out of millions of dollars.

A Facebook picture of Simon Leviev, aka Shimon Hayut. Picture: Supplied

The alleged con artist featured in a Netflix documentary has been banned from a series of dating apps after allegedly defrauding women out of millions of dollars.

Simon Leviev, 31, is said to have duped his dates into believing he was the son of an Israeli billionaire diamond tycoon.

He would take them on lavish trips, including private jet rides around Europe, before claiming he was in trouble and needed help.

Pernilla Sjoholm, left, and Cecilie Fjellhoy, victims of the Tinder swindler, in London. Picture: Joshua Wilks/Netflix

After the women sent him money, Leviev, who used a number of aliases, would fail to pay them back, according to The Tinder Swindler, which was released last week.

He is estimated to have stolen a total of 10 million dollars from his victims.

He has been banned from Tinder and sites owned by its parent company, Match Group, including Match.com, Hinge, OkCupid and Plenty of Fish.

Leviev’s real name is Shimon Hayut, the documentary says.

Simon Leviev, left, is arrested in Greece in 2019. Picture: EPA-EFE/Tore Kristiansen / VG Norway Out

He was arrested in 2019 after using a fake passport in Greece. He faced charges of fraud and forgery and spent five months in an Israeli prison.

A voice message from him in The Tinder Swindler states: “I will proceed with the lawsuit against you for defamation and lies and, you know, that everything is based, basically, on a lie.”

Netflix is said to be in talks with producers over adapting the documentary into a feature film.

The Times