Israeli 'Tinder Swindler' Simon Leviev Arrested in Georgia After Interpol Notice

Simon Leviev, known as the 'Tinder Swindler' and subject of a 2022 Netflix documentary, was arrested upon arrival at Batumi International Airport in Georgia based on an Interpol Red Notice. Leviev, whose real name is Shimon Yehuda Hayut, gained infamy for defrauding women and banks out of millions by posing as a wealthy diamond heir and using elaborate scams on the dating app Tinder. Despite his history of fraud convictions in Israel and Finland, and previous arrests including one in Greece, Leviev had been traveling freely until this recent detention. The Georgian Interior Ministry has not disclosed the specific reasons for his arrest, and Leviev's attorney expressed uncertainty about the cause of detention. Leviev has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, claiming his intentions were innocent despite the extensive allegations against him. The arrest marks a new development in the ongoing saga of one of the most notorious conmen exposed in recent years.