Simon Leviev, better known as the Tinder Swindler, was arrested in Georgia after Interpol issued a Red Notice against him. The 35-year-old was stopped by authorities at Batumi airport, according to reports from Georgian and Israeli media. Leviev, whose real name is Shimon Yehuda Hayut, became infamous worldwide after Netflix released the hit documentary The Tinder Swindler. The film showed how he tricked women into believing he was the heir to a diamond empire. However, the star reportedly lured them with private jets, luxury hotels and fast cars, before convincing them to hand over large sums of money by claiming his life was in danger. Victims said he conned them out of around £7.6 million (RWF14,908,328,000). His lawyer said the reason for this latest detention is still unclear. “I spoke with him this morning after he was detained, but we don’t yet understand the reason... He has been traveling freely around the world,” he explained. All those victims once called him a “heartless scammer,” but Leviev has always denied the allegations. Moreover, he previously claimed the women featured in the Netflix documentary were “paid actresses” and insisted he never took money from anyone. This is not his first time facing the law, as in 2019, Leviev was arrested in Greece and extradited to Israel, where he was sentenced to 15 months in prison for fraud, forgery and theft. He served only five months before being released during the Covid pandemic. The Georgian Interior Ministry confirmed Simon's detention came after the Interpol notice as he crossed the border. For the unversed, the full reason for his arrest has not yet been revealed.
