Simon Leviev (Channel 13 screenshot)
Simon Leviev, who is probably better known as Tinder crook, thanks to the Netflix documentary of the same name, became known for fraudulent behaviors reported against women he met online, The List reviewed all publications against Leviev that were not included in the film.
Radar Online explained the story quite well: in short, Leviev pretended to be a member of the famous Israeli billionaire family – Leviev, met women on Tinder, took them on expensive dates around the world and then asked them for huge sums of money. The women responded, thinking their new boyfriend needed their support – but Leviev had already moved on to the next victim in his scam network.
Although the documentary covers a lot, there is still a lot to learn about Leviev (who was born Shimon Hayut before legally changing his name, although some publications use that name to refer to him). For starters, the diamond family he claimed to be a part of completely rejected his side in the events, and even filed a police complaint against him in Israel – and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Here’s a glimpse of what else Leviev did, according to reports.
More in-
Obtained a vaccine for corona fraudulently
It seems that women’s fraud in dating apps is not the only injustice that Simon Leviev has reportedly committed. In December 2020, the Times Of Israel revealed that the man the world would continue to recognize as a “Tinder crook” had allegedly impersonated a medical worker so he could receive a dose of the corona vaccine early. The incident became known to many due to Leviev’s desire – the publication indicates that officials became aware of his vaccine when he posted a video on social media where he received the shot.
Leviev received his vaccine at Clalit Medical Center in Israel. As the Times revealed, while initially refusing to put him in the center, he eventually managed to get in with a group of medical staff. The health center issued a statement confirming Leviev’s claim, noting, “Once it turned out to be impersonation, we began investigating the incident including refreshing guidelines on the subject. It is unfortunate that there are people who violate the trust shown by the staff and we condemn this act.”
Leviev denied the allegations, and issued a statement saying he could not get the shot because he did not like to wait. In his words, “With all due respect, I will not sit and wait 3-4 hours. I am not someone who waits and no one can say a word about it” (written in the Times of Israel at the time).
More in-
Introduced himself as a real estate expert
One aspect of the rumors and accusations surrounding Simon Leviev that has been particularly confusing is that there are still organizations and investors who are willing to give him the opportunity to refute what many believe is true. For example, in 2021 Vents magazine published a series of tips by Simon Leviev, described as a “reputable millionaire” who “played in the world’s highest-stakes real estate business for years.” Does not detract from his apparent expertise in real estate.
In an interview, Babe gives advice to people who are just starting a career in the real estate world. In one tip, he advises those interested in the field to get to know people who can help them. So choose wisely, “advised Leviev.
While Simon Leviev, who is not the Tinder crook, claims to be a member of Israel’s famous Leviev family, his actual father is Rabbi Yochanan Hayut. As reported in the Times of Israel, Hayut works as a rabbi for El Al Airlines, and was even accused of engaging in fraud himself. Animals was questioned by police in late 2019, and charged with instilling potential business connections in his son when those people could be believed to be actually Leviev.
Police also believed that Hayut may even have helped Leviev leave Israel back in 2017. While reviewing text messages allegedly sent by the rabbi, authorities discovered a text that appeared to refer to Leviev and the allegations against him. The text read in part, “Believe me, it was not a simple surgery to get it out; and believe me it brings results that no one has brought, so darling, I ask you to give it what it needs.”
One man, who claims to have been deceived by both animals and his son, told the Israeli news source that he was focusing on revenge. In his words, “I want to look him in the eye and blame him for daring to cooperate with his son and deceive me.”
Accusations from 2011
Accusations of fraud have been leveled against Tinder crook Simon Leviev for more than a decade. While Netflix’s documentary examines Leviev’s relationships with women since 2018, this is far from the first time he’s gotten into legal trouble. As reported in time, Hayut was forced to leave Israel in 2011 after being accused of theft, forgery and fraud for attempting to cash out stolen checks. He managed to move to Finland following his escape from Israel, and reportedly began meeting women and cheating on women there.
After returning to Israel and then leaving Israel for the second time in 2017, he legally changed his last name from Livy to Leviev. According to reports, this replacement is the action that made it easier for him to continue to present himself as a member of the wealthy diamond family, but he claims that was not his intention. As he told Channel 12, “I have the right to choose which name I want. I have never presented myself as anyone’s son, but people use their imagination.”
Leviev’s supportive company
While a pretty heavy case has been built against Tinder crook Simon Leviev, not everyone who knows him believes the allegations. In fact, his girlfriend, Kate Conlin, is more than happy to share how much she supports Leviev. The two sat down for a joint interview in Inside Edition in February 2022, and the 24-year-old Ukrainian-born model defended her boyfriend and denied the allegations made in the Netflix documentary. Conlin was quick to confirm her belief that Leviev was telling the truth about his past, saying in an interview, “My God, how can anyone build such a fake story?”
In a separate interview with Mako in 2021, Conlin offered details on how she and Leviev met. She explained that the two had met after four months of chatting via Instagram, and that Leviev had been honest with her since the beginning of their joint journey. As she said, “he did not hide anything from me, it was important to him that I know everything about him from the beginning.”
Conlin went on to insist that the sums of money he claimed had been stolen by Leviev were “equal to the gifts he buys me on Saturday,” adding that her boyfriend’s apparent ability to spend sums of money at once. The hat should indicate that he should not steal the money from anyone.
The other victims
The film itself deals with three different women, however, there seem to be more victims out there. Radar Online reported that Leviev was in a relationship with another woman who asked to remain anonymous because of the response received by women who showed up. As she put it, “the common reaction is just a bunch of stupid, greedy women who deserve it.”
Felicity Morris, who directed the Netflix documentary, told the Guardian that there are definitely more victims who did not want to publish their stories.
When swindler Tinder Simon Leviev was finally caught by authorities in Greece in July 2019, he was in demand in a number of countries. As published by Esquire, the countries included Israel, Sweden, England, Germany, Denmark and Norway. He was sent back to Israel by police in Greece, insisting he would not commit the crimes he was charged with. As he told Rainbow Channel 12, “the women themselves were the real problem.” He explained, “Maybe their heart was broken during the process … I never took a penny from them; these women enjoyed my company, they traveled and got to see the world with my money.”
One of the women in the Netflix documentary, Pranilla Siholm, told Esquire that she and others have taken legal action against Leviev in the European Court of Justice, but to no avail. A woman who asked to remain anonymous said more or less the same thing, explaining that she was told by Interpol that nothing could be done against Leviev as long as he remained in Israel.