Dubai: Victims of 'Tinder Swindler', women's groups disappointed at airtime given to convicted fraudster

A local music radio station has removed a podcast featuring convicted fraudster Simon Leviev, infamously known as the 'Tinder Swindler', following public outcry. A talk radio station owned by the same group also aired an interview with Leviev, adding to the backlash.

No official comment was available from the group. Leviev, however, posted pictures from the studio of a local entertainment channel – though no interview was aired by them.

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Leviev's real name is Shimon Hayut, an Israeli who served two and a half years in a Finnish prison for defrauding three women. He later served 15 months in an Israeli prison after being convicted on four fraud charges but was released after five months. He continues to face active cases against him.

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Several individuals and residents reached out to Khaleej Times, expressing shock and dismay that these media platforms had given airtime to a man with a documented history of fraud and identity theft.

Among them were Cecilie Fjellhøy, Ayleen Charlotte, and Pernilla Sjöholm - the three women featured in Netflix's The Tinder Swindler documentary, which exposed Leviev's elaborate schemes to con women out of large sums of money.

Speaking to Khaleej Times over the phone from London, Norwegian motivational speaker Cecilie Fjellhøy said she was appalled that Leviev had been given a platform in Dubai.

“It is outrageous that he is being handed a microphone and a sounding board to defame us and spread lies. He is a criminal who has destroyed lives. He conned me and many other women, leaving us in financial ruin, and yet he walks free, rebranding himself as some kind of celebrity,” she said.

'Even his name is not real'

Fjellhøy also revealed that she, Sjöholm, and Charlotte travelled to Israel last year to testify against Leviev. “Even his name is not real. His name is Shimon Hayut, and he stole the Leviev name from an actual businessman,” she said, referring to Lev Leviev, the Israeli-Russian diamond tycoon whose family is suing Hayut for posing as Leviev's son and appropriating their family name.

Sjöholm criticised the media for failing to conduct fact-checking before giving airtime to a convicted fraudster. “It is disappointing to see media and podcasters overlooking facts while providing him a platform,” she said.

Charlotte echoed her sentiments, stating that Leviev is not who he claims to be. “Simon Leviev is Shimon Yehuda Hayut - a twice-convicted fraudster who destroys lives. That will not change. Anyone who broadcasts, interviews, or gives him a platform is complicit in his scam and the harm he continues to inflict on his victims,” she said.

Leviev defends himself

In the now-removed interviews, Leviev defended himself, claiming that The Tinder Swindler documentary was misleading, and unfairly portrayed him.

“I am not this person they have portrayed me to be. The real Simon is not the guy you see in the movie. I made mistakes in my life, and I have paid my debt to society. Everyone makes mistakes, and just because I faked a cheque when I was 19, it should not be held against me for my entire life,” he said.

He also alleged that his victims were profiting off his name and claimed he would set the record straight in a new Netflix documentary set to release in May this year.

Fjellhøy dismissed his claims. “Nothing could be further from the truth,” she told Khaleej Times, adding that she doubted the existence of any such documentary.

When Khaleej Times reached out to Leviev for proof of the alleged documentary, there was no response. A representative of the company managing him offered an interview under the condition that Khaleej Times provide Leviev with a full draft of the article before publication - a request that was declined.

'Our safety is paramount'

The controversy has sparked outrage among Dubai residents, particularly women's advocates. “He (Leviev) swindled multiple women out of hundreds of thousands in cash. He was arrested and charged with fraud and identity theft. Why is he being entertained as if he is some kind of influencer?,” a Dubai-based women's advocate asked.

Another woman, who actively champions women's rights, questioned why some media outlets in Dubai - a city renowned for its strong stance on women's empowerment-were giving space to a convicted scammer.

“Dubai prides itself on empowering women. I was absolutely horrified to see the 'Tinder Swindler' here and immediately reached out to alert the women of Dubai. Our safety is paramount, and I don't believe promoting someone like him aligns with the city's well-documented efforts for our well-being and equality,” she added.

Meanwhile, Leviev announced the launch of his meme coin, scheduled for Valentine's Day. A poster featuring his picture – which he shared on X – bore the tagline, “Fall in Love with the Hustle,” alongside the cryptic message, “Be ready, our enemies are after us,” a reference to his infamous line from the Netflix series.

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Mazhar Farooqui

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mazhar@khaleejtimes.com

Mazhar Farooqui, or Maz, is a multiple award-winning investigative journalist and Senior Editor at Khaleej Times. Renowned for exposing corruption and uncovering major scams, he is also the author of The Maz Files: Scoops, Scams & Showdowns.