Out of all the Tinder nightmares, this is one of the scammiest. Netflix’s documentary The Tinder Swindler — which premiered on February 2 — shows how Simon Leviev (born Shimon Hayut) allegedly convinced several European women that he was the perfect bachelor before taking them for an estimated $10 million total. Thankfully, the eponymous Tinder Swindler is finally banned from the dating app where he lured multiple women to their financial demise. “We banned Simon Leviev and any of his known aliases as soon as the story of his actions became public in 2019,†a Tinder spokesperson told NBC News. “In the lead up to the release of the documentary, we conducted additional internal investigations and can confirm Simon Leviev is not active on Tinder under any of his known aliases.†Leviev is also barred from other major dating apps like Match.com, Plenty of Fish, and OkCupid.
In 2018 and 2019, Leviev matched with his victims on Tinder by assuming the name Simon Leviev and masquerading as the prodigal son of Lev Leviev, an Israeli diamond mogul. He took his dates on private jet trips and expensive dinners before swindling them into thinking he was in trouble with shady adversaries and their checkbooks were the only thing that could save him. The grifter was also a big fan of love bombing via WhatsApp voice notes.
Before the documentary’s credits, it is revealed that Leviev only served five months of his 15-month sentence. After his release, he started “Simon Leviev’s Business and Personal Workshop†for the totally economical price of $311. He lives as a free man in Israel, even after the documentary’s subjects, Cecile Fjellhoy, Pernilla Sjoholm, and Ayleen Charlotte, plotted his elaborate downfall. The three Tinder vigilantes are currently raising money on their GoFundMe to pay off the extensive debts incurred by the Tinder Swindler. Not exactly happily ever after.