- Shimon Hayut, aka Simon Leviev, has said in an interview he is not the now famed “Tinder Swindler,” as showcased in one Netflix documentary.
- He claims to have gained wealth from investing in Bitcoin in 2011, back when it was worth under $30.
An Israeli man has now found himself in trouble after being portrayed as “The Tinder Swindler” by a Netflix documentary with the same name. Simon Leviev, whose real name is Shimon Hayut, has now said the creation is nothing but a reputation tarnishing scheme.
In the documentary, Leviev is alleged to have become romantically involved with at least three women he met on Tinder. He wooed them with lavish lifestyles – luxury hotels, private jets, and the likes. Later on, he asked for money to hide his identity from his “enemies.” The women lent him a combined total of over $500,000, after which they never heard from him again.
Alleged Tinder swindler says he was an early Bitcoin investor
However, in an interview with the Inside Edition, Leviev distanced himself from the Tinder fraud accusations, claiming to be a “legit businessman.” He says his wealth is a result of early investment in Bitcoin in 2011 – a year when Bitcoin’s highest price was just under $30.
I bought Bitcoin in 2011, which [was then worth]nothing, I don’t need to say how much it’s worth now.
Referring to the Feb. 2 global hit documentary, Leviev says he is “not this ‘monster’ that everyone else has created.” He also says that none of the three women featured in the documentary – Cecilie Fjellhøy, Pernilla Sjoholm, and Ayleen Charlotte – were “conned” or “threatened.” He does not sympathize with their fraud story, rather he wants to “clear” his name and “tell the world this isn’t true.” Leviev’s girlfriend Kate Konlin, who is seen with him in the video interview, calls the women’s story a “fake.”
Leviev’s victims now in debt
According to the documentary, victims of Leviev say he posed as the son of diamond tycoon Lev Leviev, aka “King of Diamonds.” When asked about this, Leviev’s response was: “No I’m not and I never presented myself [to be].”
He adds:
I was just a single guy, looking to meet some girls on Tinder… I am not a Tinder Swindler.
Investigations reveal that Leviev has faced prison time for multiple offenses, including conning women out of more than $10 million.
The women in the documentary now say they are in debt following interactions with Leviev. They have since set up a GoFundMe page for sympathizers to contribute to their debt clearance. Twitter criticism is largely directed on the women more than Leviev, with a number calling them “stupid,” “gold-diggers” and saying they “deserved it.” Leviev, on the other hand, has been banned from several dating platforms including Tinder, OkCupid, and Hinge.
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