Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

The Tinder Swindler’s ‘Simon Leviev’ says victims should ‘start saying the truth’

‘It’s high time the ladies start saying the truth,’ Shimon Hayut wrote, ‘If you can’t give them world they’ll turn yours to hell [sic]’

Isobel Lewis
Tuesday 08 February 2022 12:08 EST
Comments
The Tinder Swindler trailer

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

The man at the centre of Netflix series The Tinder Swindler has denied that he is a “fraud”.

Netflix’s latest true-crime hit follows a group of women who attempt to track down a dating app user who tricked them out of millions of dollars.

The series estimates that Shimon Hayut (known to his victims as Simon Leviev) stole $10m (£7.4m) over the years after luring his victims with expensive dates in order to gain their trust.

Hayut went on to serve just five months of his 15-month prison sentence. He deleted his social media after the series dropped on Netflix on Wednesday (2 February).

However, on Monday (7 February), Hayut returned to Instagram where he posted a defence of himself and criticised the women he scammed.

“If I was a fraud why would I act on Netflix I mean they should have arrested me when we were still shooting [sic],” Hayut wrote on Instagram Stories.

“It’s high time the ladies start saying the truth. If you can’t give them world they’ll turn yours to hell [sic].”

Leviev returned to Instagram on Monday
Leviev returned to Instagram on Monday (Simon Leviev/Instagram)

Hayut then wrote that he would be “addressing the whole world” on Friday (11 February), posting: “Say my name #SimonTruth.”

On the show, Hayut was said to have sent pictures of his friend Peter (his supposed bodyguard) with head wounds to all his victims. He told the women that his “enemies” had found them, using the “attack” as a way to get them to send him more money.

However, on Instagram Stories Hayut wrote: “Peter is okay. Thanks everyone who’s asking [on] both inbox and timeline.”

The Tinder Swindler is available to stream on Netflix now.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in