Tinder Swindler Arrested at Georgian Airport on Interpol Warrant

International Conman Captured in Black Sea Resort City

Shimon Hayut, the notorious fraudster known as the 'Tinder Swindler' from the hit Netflix documentary, has been apprehended at Batumi International Airport in Georgia. The arrest occurred near the Turkish border in the popular Black Sea resort city.

Interpol Operation Leads to Capture

Georgian authorities confirmed the arrest was made "at the request of Interpol," according to the country's Interior Ministry. The specific charges remain undisclosed, but the capture marks another chapter in the international manhunt for the serial romance scammer.

"This arrest demonstrates the effectiveness of international police cooperation in tracking down sophisticated financial criminals," said a security analyst familiar with the case.

Multi-Million Dollar Dating Scam

Between 2017 and 2019, Hayut allegedly used Tinder to defraud women across Europe of approximately $10 million. Posing as Simon Leviev, the son of Russian-Israeli diamond billionaire Lev Leviev, he manipulated victims into providing large sums of money for fabricated emergencies.

His elaborate scheme involved maintaining an illusion of extreme wealth through private jets, luxury hotels, and fine dining—all funded by previous victims. The Netflix documentary The Tinder Swindler brought international attention to his crimes in 2022.

Previous Legal Troubles

This isn't Hayut's first encounter with law enforcement. In 2019, he was arrested in Greece and extradited to Israel, where he served a short prison sentence for fraud-related offenses before being released.

The latest arrest raises questions about potential extradition proceedings and whether Hayut will face additional charges in multiple countries where his victims reside, including Norway, Sweden, and the Netherlands.