The February 2022 Netflix documentary about Shimon Hayut’s Tinder-based Ponzi scheme conning women out of millions that became Valentine’s Day phenomenon, launched victim crowdfunding, and made everyone paranoid about dating apps.
The Story
Romance scam exposed:
Shimon Hayut (fake name: Simon Leviev):
- Israeli conman posing as diamond heir
- Used Tinder to meet women
- Lavish first dates (private jets, luxury)
- “Enemies” crisis: Needed money urgently
- Women loaned money (never repaid)
- Used one victim’s money for next victim
Victims: Cecilie Fjellhøy, Pernilla Sjöholm, Ayleen Charlotte
The scheme: Classic affinity fraud via dating app.
Valentine’s Day Release
Perfect timing (February 2, 2022):
- Week before Valentine’s Day
- Dating app users terrified
- “Check your man” jokes
- Red flags trending topic
The timing: Accidentally perfect marketing.
Cecilie Fjellhøy
Primary victim/hero:
- Norwegian woman, first major victim featured
- €250,000 debt
- Partnered with journalists (VG, Israeli media)
- Documentary protagonist
- GoFundMe campaign ($100K+ raised)
Her bravery: Exposed Leviev publicly.
”Enemies” Text Scam
Signature move:
The con:
- Leviev claims “enemies” after him
- Sends photos of injured bodyguard
- Needs woman’s credit card “for security”
- “I’ll pay you back immediately”
- Never pays back, moves to next victim
The manipulation: Fake danger creating urgency.
Social Media Investigation
Twitter sleuths activated:
- Found Leviev on Instagram (still active!)
- Dating app warnings spread
- Women shared experiences
- Tinder refused to ban him permanently
The outrage: Platform accountability questioned.
Ayleen’s Revenge
Satisfying finale:
- Ayleen Charlotte: Last victim featured
- Realized scam, played along
- Kept designer clothes Leviev bought her
- Sold them, recouped some losses
- “I got the last laugh”
The hero moment: Scam the scammer.
Israeli Custody Battle
Legal aftermath:
- Leviev arrested in Greece (June 2019)
- Extradited to Israel
- Served 5 months (fraud, theft)
- Released December 2019
- Resumed scamming immediately
The frustration: Light sentence encouraged continuation.
Post-Doc Grifting
Shameless continued:
- Leviev started OnlyFans
- Selling “business advice”
- Cameo appearances
- Dating German model
- Zero remorse
The audacity: Profiting from documentary about his crimes.
Tinder’s Response
Platform criticism:
- Initially slow to ban permanently
- Eventually banned (after doc)
- Other dating apps followed
- Verification questions raised
The gap: Platforms enabled fraud.
Victim Backlash
Uncomfortable blame:
- “Why did they fall for this?” discourse
- Victim-blaming disguised as caution
- Missing empathy for manipulation
- Misogyny underlying criticism
The problem: Scammer escaped, victims judged.
GoFundMe Success
Crowdfunding solidarity:
- Cecilie’s campaign raised $100K+
- Pernilla also fundraised
- Internet showed up for victims
- Debt partially recovered
The support: Rare positive internet moment.
Legacy
The Tinder Swindler demonstrated dating app fraud’s sophistication, true crime documentary’s continued dominance, and how social media could both enable and expose scammers.
Sources:
- Netflix viewership data (February 2022)
- VG (Norwegian media) original investigation (2019)
- The Guardian: “Inside the Tinder Swindler” (2022)
- BBC: “Shimon Hayut’s Scam Explained” (2022)