Tinder Swindler Banned From Other Dating Apps Following Netflix Documentary
Shimon Hayut aka the 'Tindler Swindler' has been banned from a series of dating apps since he rose to fame on Netflix.
Hayut, who pretended to be a prominent Israeli businessman named Simon Leviev, reportedly conned a group of women out of millions of dollars.
While travelling around Europe, Hayut utilised popular dating app Tinder to allegedly form relationships with the women, using money stolen from others to lavish his soon-to-be victims with expensive dinners, gifts and flights on a private jet.
However, new Netflix series The Tinder Swindler has exposed Hayut's scheme and as a result, he's been blocked by not only Tinder, but multiple other dating sites.
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Under the alias of Leviev, Hayut used Tinder to form relationships with women around Europe before allegedly tricking them into loaning him substantial amounts of money which he never repaid.
Pernilla Sjoholm was left 'bankrupt' from the scheme, and revealed on the Netflix series that her life is 'still a struggle'.
Hayut still had a profile on Tinder when The Tinder Swindler premiered on February 2, although a spokesperson for Tinder stated: 'In the lead-up to the release of the documentary, we conducted additional internal investigations and can confirm Simon Leviev is not active on Tinder under any of his known aliases.'
While Tinder may have been Hayut's weapon of choice to lure unsuspecting women in, other dating apps including those owned by Match Group Inc have also banned him from using its sites such as Match.com, OkCupid, Hinge, PlentyOfFish and others, as per Hollywood Reporter.
Before deleting his Instagram page, Hayut promised his followers that he would 'share [his] side of the story in the next few days when [he has] sorted out the best and most respectful way to tell it, both to the involved parties and [himself],' asking followers to 'please keep an open mind and heart'.
It is predicted by the series that Hayut defrauded multiple women out of a total of over $10 million (£7.4 million).
In 2019, the conman was arrested in Greece for travelling with a fake passport. The arrest led to his deportation back to Israel where he was sentenced to prison for 15 months for theft and forgery for charges dating back to 2012.
As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, Hayut was released just five months into his sentence. However, he remains wanted in several countries for the same charges.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, you can contact Victim Support on 08 08 16 89 111, start a live chat, or visit the website, all of which are available 24 hours seven days a week
Poppy Bilderbeck