Simon Leviev, the convicted fraudster globally known as “The Tinder Swindler,” has claimed to have amassed roughly $100 million while outlining plans to launch a dating application and enter Israeli politics, The Sun reported.
Born Shimon Yehuda Hayut, Leviev gained worldwide notoriety following the February 2022 release of the Netflix documentary The Tinder Swindler, which was watched by up to 87 million people and reached the Top 10 in 92 countries during its first month. The film alleged that Leviev duped singletons out of an estimated £7.4 million by posing as the son of Israeli billionaire Lev Leviev, showering victims with luxury dates and private jet flights before faking security threats to extract large sums of money.
Despite his criminal record—which includes convictions for theft, forgery, and fraud in 2019, alongside arrests in Greece for using fraudulent passports—Leviev has leaned heavily into his infamy. In interviews with The Sun and the UK’s ITV, he dismissed critics who call him a narcissist or psychopath, arguing that he is simply capitalizing on the public persona established by the documentary. He has been launching a dating app.
Political Ambitions and Dating App Ventures
Looking ahead, Leviev stated his ambition is to become the Prime Minister of Israel. He asserted that he could secure the necessary votes by targeting younger demographics on TikTok and prisoners. To bolster his political viability, he noted an intention to marry and establish a stable family first, comparing his trajectory to that of the late South African President Nelson Mandela by arguing that public perception of individuals can shift over time.
Leviev’s commercial plans have drawn sharp public scrutiny. During a recent appearance on ITV’s This Morning, host Ben Shepherd challenged Leviev’s motives in launching a platform aimed at protecting users from fraud, questioning whether it was appropriate for a convicted scammer to monetize trust. Shepherd pushed back when Leviev listed his past deception as a unique set of skills, telling him it sounded less like remorse and more like a list of accolades.
Leviev denies stealing money from his former romantic partners, claiming that accusers are trying to make a career out of his infamy. While he accepted responsibility for forging a cheque, using fake passports, and violating bail conditions—crimes for which he served short prison sentences in Israel and Finland—he maintains that his debts to society have been paid.
