Just like reading the disclaimer before you put down your money on gambling, you’re also warned (often) to be cautious about who you meet on dating apps. The Tinder Swindler, a recent Netflix true-crime documentary, is a perfect example of this gone awry.
Simon Leviev, alias Shimon Yehuda Hayut, is the lead con man in The Tinder Swindler, which followed Robert Hendy-Freegard from The Puppet Master, another Netflix film about a con man. These con men shared several characteristics. Both enjoy the excitement of living a lavish lifestyle, both prey on women to steal money from them, and both, despite their crimes, are now free men.
Three women came forward in The Tinder Swindler with their own horrible experiences of falling for Simon’s charms.
What is the true identity of the Tinder swindler, aka Simon Leviev?
A skilled hustler
Shimon Yehuda Hayut is a skilled hustler who changed his identity to Simon Leviev in 2017. His primary reason is to appear connected to millionaire Lev Leviev, the “King of Diamonds.” However, he has nothing to do with the Leviev family, but the name carries such weight, especially when Googled. So, bearing the name Leviev was enough to make it look like his lavish lifestyle was supported by “family” funds.