If you’ve watched Netflix’s new documentary The Tinder Swindler, you’re already familiar with Shimon Hayut, a conman who goes by the name of Simon Leviev. Not long ago, Leviev bilked dozens of people across the world out of millions of dollars, running a scam that amounted to a Ponzi scheme: Using the money he’d emotionally manipulated out of one mark, he’d dupe the next into believing he was a wealthy playboy, and continued the chain in perpetuity … until his luck ran out.
The film, directed by Felicity Morris, examines how Leviev swindled three women, all of whom were left with tens — if not hundreds — of thousands of dollars in debt. Two of them, Cecilie Fjellhøy and Pernilla Sjoholm, told their story to the Norwegian publication VG in 2019 in the hopes of preventing Leviev from entrapping other women. Later that year, Leviev was arrested in Greece by Interpol and the Israel Police and extradited to Israel, where he was tried on outstanding charges of fraud and sentenced to 15 months in prison.
But what happened after his time behind bars? Below, an overview of what Simon Leviev’s been up to.
Where is Simon Leviev now?
As the film recounts, Leviev only served five months of his 15-month prison sentence. These days, per his Instagram, he seems to be living the good life in Israel. Footage posted to his account shows him enjoying luxury goods including an iPhone, designer sneakers, sports cars, and more. He was also, at least at one time, dating an Israeli…
