‘The Tinder Swindler’ Simon Hayut Faces ‘Only the Beginning’ of Many Lawsuits From the Real Leviev Family
International con artist Shimon Hayut was the focus of the true crime documentary, The Tinder Swindler, which streamed earlier this year on Netflix. It depicted Hayut, who went by Simon Leviev, draining the bank accounts of several women after convincing them he was the heir to an Israeli diamond fortune.
Despite stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the women featured in the documentary, Hayut was never held fully accountable for his crimes.
The real-life diamond tycoon, Lev Leviev, and his family are now fighting back. They are taking legal action against the “Tinder Swindler‘ for a slew of charges, including impersonation. They are furious at his fraudulent activity, claiming this is “only the beginning” of many lawsuits they plan to file.
The women scammed by the notorious ‘Tinder Swindler’
Cecilie Fjellhoy considered herself an “expert” on the Tinder dating app. When she matched with the handsome playboy, it didn’t take long for him to reel her in. Hayut took the unsuspecting target on lavish trips in his private jet and yacht. He showered her with gifts and undevoted attention. When he asked to use her American Express card, she let him use it until enormous bills started piling up.
Meanwhile, Pernilla Sjöholm befriended Hayut and started lending him large sums of money. The Tinder Swindler convinced her he was involved in a business deal gone wrong and was being pursued by his “enemies.”
Once the women realized they were part of an elaborate scam, it was too late. They both lost a substantial sum of money. While trying to expose him, they discovered several other victims with the help of Norwegian journalists.
Ayleen Charlotte met Hayut on Tinder and dated him for a year. She saw an interview and realized she was involved with a con man. Charlotte contacted authorities. In 2019, the fraudster returned to his native Israel and received 19 months of jail time. He only served five months before being released in 2020.
According to People, he is responsible for “swindling an estimated $10 million from people across the globe.” They reported, “He’s walking free and pursuing a Hollywood career — while the women he swindled remain in debt to this day.”
Will Simon Hayut finally pay for his crimes?
Guy Ophir, a lawyer for the Leviev family, filed a lawsuit in the Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court in Israel on behalf of the billionaire diamond magnate. The complaint stated, “He is a swindler and a fraud who changed his name for criminal purposes.”
It accuses Hayut of slander, cheating, lying, and harming men, women, and businesses in Israel and worldwide. According to NBC News, Ophir said in a statement that this was “only the beginning of a number of lawsuits.”
The Leviev family lawyer said they intend to file a “monetary suit” against Hayut and any of his affiliates, including websites with joint ventures and anyone that attempts to profit from doing business with him. He claims, “Anyone that will try to capitalize from this scheme will be sued.”
In an exclusive interview with Page Six, Chagit Leviev, CEO of Leviev Group USA, claims her family has suffered for years because of Hayut’s unscrupulous actions.
Chagit said that while they knew he was “defrauding companies and other women that reached out,” it was difficult to make him stop, despite numerous reports to the police. The daughter of the Israeli diamond tycoon said Hayut believed “he owned this company which is very sick and very crazy.”
‘The Tinder Swindler’ is still making money on Cameo
A spokesperson for Match.com, who owns Tinder, verified that “Simon Leviev is not active on Tinder under any of his known aliases.” He is also banned from Plenty of Fish and OkCupid dating apps. Shortly after the documentary aired, the con man deleted his Instagram account.
Hayut is still active on Cameo, a money-making platform that encourages users to pay for personalized video messages from their favorite celebrities. With his newfound fame, the “Tindler Swindler” is spending his time recording birthday and congratulatory wishes to fans of his bad behavior and does not admit any wrongdoing.
In an exclusive interview with Inside Edition, Hayut said, “I was just a single guy that wanted to meet some girls on Tinder.”
