Notorious 'Tinder Swindler' Back Behind Bars

Another Turn: 'Tinder Swindler' Arrested Again – Despite Claim in Dubai He'd Never Return to Jail

One of the world's most infamous fraudsters, known on social media as the 'Tinder Swindler', is back behind bars – this time in Georgia. However, the story not only revolves around his arrest but also a particularly controversial period in Dubai, which once again highlights how he tried to reinvent himself in the city of luxury and illusions.

The 'Never Jail Again' Promise from Dubai

In February 2025, the man – formerly known as Simon Leviev, actually Shimon Yehuda Hayut – stood on a Dubai balcony in front of the imposing view of the Burj Khalifa and declared on TikTok: 'I promise you, you'll never see me in jail again.' The statement was accompanied by AI-generated prison bars that slid down on the screen then disappeared – as if to emphasize he was leaving the past behind. At the time, it seemed his 'rebranding' could succeed.

Influencer Dream in Dubai

Hayut tried to build a new identity in Dubai. Despite previous crimes, he wanted to return to the center of luxury, glamour, and attention. He launched a Valentine's Day-themed cryptocurrency called 'Tind' – the name clearly referencing Tinder, the platform where he previously conducted his scams.

The 'Tind' coin was advertised as a female-friendly memecoin, claiming that five percent of its revenue would supposedly be donated to women's charities. He handed out roses to female passersby outside the Dubai Mall, appeared on radio shows, and of course, constantly posted – from exclusive restaurants, rented Rolls-Royces, and hotels.

The goal was clear: to construct a new persona once more. This time, not as a romantic hero, but as a crypto-entrepreneur campaigning for a good cause. However, reality quickly intervened.

The Fall of 'Tind' and Public Outrage

As more people began to take interest in the new cryptocurrency, his scam victims also spoke up. Several former victims – including Norway's Cecilie Fjellhoy – publicly condemned the project, which they believed was just another attempt by Hayut to profit from others' suffering. The cryptocurrency did not get listed on any major exchanges, lacked technological development, and its value fell to virtually zero within months. The project flopped, but the notoriety remained – albeit in a negative form.

The public – particularly in the online world – did not accept the new role. After his interviews, radio stations faced harsh criticism, his rose-giving videos were ridiculed, and more people began questioning how a twice-convicted fraudster could be in the spotlight again, especially in a city known for strict enforcement of rules and laws.

Arrest in Georgia

In September 2025, just seven months after his Dubai video, Hayut was arrested at Batumi International Airport. The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed that the arrest was at the request of Interpol, but did not disclose which country initiated the procedure. Currently, it is unclear which state requested his extradition – potentially due to new frauds, but it’s also possible that previous cases have been reopened.

Hayut’s lawyer stated that he had been traveling freely recently, with no signs of being wanted. Former victim Fjellhoy welcomed the news on Instagram and reshared the previous Dubai 'never again in jail' video with a fresh newspaper clipping about his arrest. An ironic contrast.

Background: Jail, Frauds, Netflix

Shimon Yehuda Hayut’s criminal past is long and well-documented. He was arrested in Greece in 2019, then extradited to Israel, where he was convicted of fraud, forgery, and theft. He served only five months of a 15-month sentence, as he was released during the COVID pandemic.

Earlier, he had also served a prison sentence in Finland for defrauding three women. He became globally famous through the 2022 Netflix documentary 'The Tinder Swindler'. According to the film, Hayut swindled nearly a billion dollars from women and banks through a sophisticated pyramid scheme-like fraud chain, posing as the son of diamond tycoon Lev Leviev – a claim that the Leviev family legally contested.

Even after the documentary, he did not disappear: he gave interviews, repeatedly denying the accusations, claiming he was not the person portrayed and had already 'paid his debt to society'.

End of Freedom?

While social media and news sites are once again covering the infamous con man's story, the question remains open: will Georgia extradite him to another country and will he face trial again? One thing is certain: his Dubai declaration that 'he’d never be jailed again' has proven to be an empty promise.

This case once again highlights how blurred the lines between reality and illusion can become – especially in a city like Dubai, where luxury, social media, and ambition often obscure the past. But it seems this time, the past has caught up with Hayut. The story is far from over.

(Source of the article: based on a statement from the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs.)