A smooth-talking Tinder finesser is the focus of a new Netflix documentary after he spent years catfishing hopeful singles and defrauding them out of millions with the promise of romance.
Simon Leviev presented himself as the wealthy son of Russian-Israeli billionaire diamond investor Lev Leviev. However, an investigation found that he had no ties to the family, nor was his name Simon Leviev. His real identity is Shimon Hayut, and he has been conning women since at least 2015. That year, he was arrested in Finland for scamming three women. He served two years in prison, and after being released, he continued taking the money of unknowing partners.
In 2018, Hayut met Cecilie Fjellhøy on the app and convinced her that he worked for his wealthy father. After meeting in person, the fake businessman asked her to accompany him on a private jet to Bulgaria for a meeting. After that meeting, Hayut adorned her with roses and other gifts before abruptly halting and convincing her that he was in danger following a risky business deal. Over time, he convinced the woman to send him large sums of money and even had her take out a loan for him with the promise that she’d be paid back once his situation improved. The lovestruck woman also put him as an authorized user on her credit cards. However, once thousands of dollars were in debt, Fjellhøy realized it was all a lie. The scammer used her money to take extravagant trips and groom other unsuspecting victims with the same routine.
“The Tinder Swindler” will dive into Hayut’s extensive web of lies, which included showering his victims with initial lavish gifts and kind gestures before taking all that he can. Hayut was last arrested in June 2019 and charged with fraud and identity theft. He was sentenced to 15 months behind bars but only served five. He now resides in Israel and did not participate in the film about his elaborate scheme.
“The Tinder Swindler” premiered on Netflix Wednesday.
