Simon Leviev, born Shimon Yehuda Hayut, has long been infamous for elaborate romance frauds. Between 2017 and 2019 he allegedly posed on Tinder as the son of a diamond mogul, using this fake persona to entice and defraud women.
He is said to have charmed them with extravagant lifestyles, private jets, lavish trips, bodyguards, only to later claim emergencies that required him to borrow or use money from them under false pretenses.
The Netflix documentary The Tinder Swindler (2022) helped bring his schemes into global view.
Leviev has prior convictions. In 2019 he was arrested in Greece using a forged passport, extradited to Israel, and convicted of fraud, forgery and theft. He was given a 15‑month sentence but served only about five months due to the pandemic
The Arrest in Georgia
On September 15, 2025, Leviev was arrested in Georgia at Batumi International Airport. Georgian Interior Ministry officials confirmed that his arrest was made under an Interpol “Red Notice.”
The timing and location suggest he was detained as he entered the country via Batumi, a city on Georgia’s Black Sea coast. The arrest came as he was attempting to cross a border checkpoint associated with the airport.
What is Known and What Remains Unclear
Though the Red Notice is confirmed, exactly which country or jurisdiction requested the notice has not been publicly disclosed.
Likewise, the precise charges resulting in this recent arrest in Georgia are not yet clear. Leviev’s lawyer has reportedly said that they do not yet understand the reason for the detainment.
Estimates of Leviev’s alleged fraud vary. Some reports place the total at approximately £7.4 million (or similar sums in other currencies) defrauded from multiple women. Others put the figure closer to US$10 million.
Legal Implications and Next Steps
Since the arrest was made under an Interpol notice, the case will likely involve extradition negotiations if one of the countries that issued the notice presses its claim.
Georgia will have to determine whether to hold Leviev pending extradition or release him under conditional measures, depending on both international agreements and internal legal process.
Victims of his alleged scams are expected to follow developments closely, as there may be new legal avenues for restitution or other justice. The media and public interest remain high, in part because of the extensive documentary coverage and widespread reporting.
Why This Case Matters
This arrest marks a significant moment in a story that has been built on allegations, documentaries, lawsuits, and partial convictions. For many of the people who say they lost large sums of money and emotional trust, this may represent a turning point.
It underscores how international freedom of movement can be curtailed by longstanding allegations, how law‑enforcement cooperation (via Interpol) has bite, and how public exposure through media can sharpen legal consequences.
Moreover, it draws attention to romance fraud more broadly, how it is conducted, how perpetrators evade detection, and how victims often struggle with both financial loss and lack of legal recourse.
The fact that Leviev had continued to travel and maintain a public profile since earlier convictions makes this arrest all the more symbolically powerful.
