A Netflix documentary “The Tinder Swindler” topped ratings with the story of the Israeli conman Shimon Hayut, who used ‘Tinder’ to date women and borrow money from them. He managed to scam a total of $10 million from his victims.
The notorious “Tinder Swindler,” also known as Shimon Hayut, lives in a lavish apartment located in a luxurious complex in Tel Aviv, Israel, according to The Daily Mail.
The most inexpensive “three-bedroom flats, with floor-to-ceiling windows and modern balconies” in this building were said to cost $1.6 million.
According to the newspaper, Hayut continues to benefit from his fame, while some of his victims are still struggling with the consequences of his behavior. So far, he has created his own NFT, launched a line of clothing, including t-shirts, emblazoned with quotes such as “If she really loves you, she’ll take out of a loan for you” and created an account on Cameo, where celebrities receive money for interacting with fans.
According to The Daily Mail, people from his hometown of Bnei Brak, a “Hasidic Jewish neighbourhood in the east of Tel Aviv,” say that Hayut “lost his way.” “Shimon left the family and his religion and fell apart,” said one of the locals.
“He brought shame to the entire neighbourhood. How a man like this isn’t ashamed of his behaviour is beyond me. What he did damaged our city’s name,” another resident said about the Tinder scandal.
According to three of Hayut’s victims, Cecilie Fjellhøy, Pernilla Sjoholm, and Ayleen Charlotte, he impersonated Simon Leviev, a son of Israeli tycoon Lev Leviev, and arranged luxurious dates for his victims. He reportedly lied to them by claiming his business put him in danger, soliciting huge amounts of money. His gullible dates provided him with cards, took out loans from banks, and one of them even brought him $25,000 in cash.
After being imprisoned for a short period in Israel on charges unrelated to the Tinder story, and paying $43,000 in damages, he currently lives as a free man in Tel Aviv, dating model Kate Konlin. Hayut is now reportedly planning a career in Hollywood, starring in a romance show, launching his own dating podcast and writing a book.