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THE NOTORIOUS “Tinder Swindler” has claimed from his jail cell that he doesn’t remember “conning women out of hundreds of thousands.”

Simon Leviev, 35, has spoken out for the first time since his arrest in Georgia for alleged fraud.

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Talking from his prison cell, the Israeli scammer admitted to a local celebrity lawyer Mariam Kublashvili that he is no angel but has no recollections of the alleged crimes he has been accused of, reports MailOnline.

The infamous scammer has appointed Ms Kublashivili as his new lawyer, who has since likened him to The Wolf of Wall Street.

Like the disgraced stockbroker played by Leonardo di Caprio, she believes Leviev has turned over a new leaf.

His latest claim follows an arrest made last month under mysterious circumstances following an Interpol Red Notice for alleged fraud in Germany.

Mr Leviev was cuffed at Batumi International Airport, Georgia, on September 14th.

He is currently being held in Kutaisi Penitentiary Establishment No 2 and awaiting extradition proceedings.

If convicted, he could face up to ten years behind bars.

Yesterday, Mr Leviev spoke out via Ms Kublashivili for the first time since the dramatic arrest, where he has claimed to have no recollection of this.

He said: “Under the circumstances, I believe I’m either being set up or there’s been some kind of misunderstanding.”

Leviev, whose real name is Shimon Yehuda Hayut, became the subject of a 2022 Netflix documentary after he spent years luring women on dating app Tinder, while posing as an heir to the Leviev diamond fortune.

He told his victims he was the son of Israeli diamond tycoon Lev Leviev – but he has no relation to the family whatsoever.

He was arrested in 2019 in Greece then extradited to Israel where he served a 15-month sentence for fraud, forgery and theft.

His legal team are now questioning why an Interpol notice was triggered when he entered Georgia without the Germans first going to authorities in his homeland.

Mr Leviev’s Israeli lawyer Sharon Nahari said: “To arrest him in a third country, rather than addressing the matter openly through Israel, is unfair and unacceptable.”

Mr Nahari also characterised the case as “disproportionate” and “based on weak evidence.”

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The newly appointed Ms Kublashvili added that she fears he will not receive a fair trail due to a pre-existing biased narrative.

Referencing The Wolf of Wall Street, she claimed that Mr Leviev is now a very different person.

She highlighted that since 2022 he has embarked on a new and completely legal career and published his own memoir.

In addition to fighting his extradition, Ms Kublashvili also hopes to move Leviev from his current prison to one in Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi.

She claims that the current conditions he is being held in fail to meet basic hygiene standards.

Ten years on from being conned out of thousands, Mr Leviev’s victims remain traumatised.

While the Netflix documentary The Tinder Swindler brought their story to the world, the women he affected say the aftermath and the long road to recovery were far more difficult than anyone could have imagined.

“I’m still traumatised,” Cecilie, 36, told The Times.

Cecilie was conned into taking out nine loans totaling $250,000 (£190,000), and was hounded by creditors to the point where she contemplated suicide. 

She eventually sought help at a psychiatric unit and has spent the last seven years in therapy. 

She “never wanted to be on” antidepressants but explains that she “needed them.” 

Pernilla, 38, also contemplated suicide after learning the truth about the man she once considered a friend.

She lost the $45,000 (£33,840) she had saved for a home deposit and then doubled that amount in legal fees when she tried to take her bank to court. 

The pair have since released a book, Swindled Never After: How We Survived (and You Can Spot) a Relationship Scammer, deep dives into their traumatic journey in a bid to prevent others from falling for the same cruel tricks.

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In Netflix series Love Con Revenge , Norwegian-born Cecilie sets out on a quest to ‘unmask other scammers’. In an exclusive interview she gives her top ways to spot a love scammer

Cecilie Fjellhoy was 29 when she was swooned by Simon Liviev (real name Shimon Hayut) but her world came crumbling down when she realised she was a victim of a cruel scam.

The relationship left her in thousands of pounds worth of debt. Disclosing the first stages of her relationship with the infamous Tinder Swindler, she said: “He was very handsome and very charismatic. I felt so well taken care of and truly loved. I felt really lucky to be around him.”

In their short relationship of 54 days, Cecilie lost more than $200,000 (£150,000) to ‘Simon’ who was posing as the heir to a diamond empire and often needed Cecilie’s finances to evade his ‘enemies’.

In Neflix’s new show Love Con Revenge, Norwegian-born Cecilie sets out on a quest to ‘unmask other scammers’.

READ MORE: ‘Tinder love of my life conned me out of £150,000 but I got my revenge’READ MORE: ‘I was on Emmerdale Dingle wedding set and bride Gabby is hiding massive secret’

The fraudsters here are not claiming to be billionaire diamond dealers escaping thugs as in Cecilie’s case – but have similarly extraordinary covers in a bid to defraud victims.

These include an ‘army veteran’ who says he needs money to give to the family of his war comrade who died taking a bullet for him, ultimately defrauding his girlfriend of $50,000 (£36,883). Meanwhile, another woman pretends she had MS so her boyfriend will fund her lifestyle.

In an interview with The Mirror, Cecilie said of the fraudsters she exposes on the new show: “There is nugget of truth in every single one – so you believe them. In my case, Shimon Hayut was playing a character called Simon. He was not a diamond dealer, but I went on a private jet with him. That’s why it seemed real.”

She adds that all the people she investigated in the new series: “They are straight out of the romance con artist playbook.”

Jessica Hampson, CEO of fraud specialists CEL Solicitors added: “Cecilie has done fantastic work in raising awareness of romance fraud. More than any other type of scam, romance fraudsters manipulate the emotions of their victims, playing with their feelings and their trust.

“It can be difficult for people to come forward after this type of scam but the more the crime is reported, the better it can be prevented. It is possible to recover the money lost but you must first report the crime to the police and your bank.”

In 2019, Cecilie’s ex was convicted of four charges of fraud – unrelated to her allegations – and sentenced to 15 months in prison, but he was released after serving five months.

The conviction followed the two-year sentence he received in Finland in 2015 over the defrauding of three women in that country.

Here are Cecelie’s seven ways to spot a lover scammer:

Super successful careers or trustworthy jobs

Love Con Revenge features a doctor and an army veteran. The doctor turned out not to be a medical one and the army vet only served briefly before being thrown out for drug taking.

“What impresses people is occupations that we can trust. We see time and time again that fraudsters will try to pretend that they’re doctors or successful businessmen,” says Cecilie.

It’s difficult not to take someone at face value, but it’s important to be alert to anything that sounds too good to be true.

Borrowing small amounts of money and paying it straight back

Online dating should be about getting to know each other, not talking about finances. But some love con artist can attempt to use this to build trust initially.

“This builds trust with your fraudster – because they have paid you back before you don’t worry or are concerned you won’t get the money back,” says Cecile.

They pay it back quickly and sometimes even add interest. This is shown by one love conman on the Netflix series who lures his victim into a false sense of security that her money will always be returned.

Push and pull relationship

Fraudsters will abruptly end the relationship, Cecile says, withdrawing their affection before starting things back up again. This leaves the victim deeply insecure and feeling like they’re walking on eggshells – desperate not to do anything that might upset the relationship again.

“They reel you in with love and attention. Once you’re hooked, they will unexpectedly pull away,” warns Cecilie. “Suddenly, you’re the one chasing their love and affection, and that’s the power shift that they want. You’re not thinking straight. That’s when they can get even more money from you!”

Love bombing

Fraudsters will often move in at lightening speed, making the target feel like are being swept off their feet. They want move to into a relationship very quickly – for example moving in with you, within a few months of dating.

Cecilie was treated to 100 red roses on her birthday, taken on fancy dates and the scammer proclaimed his love to her very early in the relationship.

“This is called ‘love bombing’. They love you, they shower you with compliments, they want to move in, you’re their dream woman. Everything is happening very quickly – watch out for that,” Cecilie explained.

Sending several romantic messages in a short space of time is also a way of “lovebombing” a way into a relationship. Scammers will often shower you with affection to draw you in and make you feel special.

Cecile says she wishes people shouldn’t have to be on their guard for this of behaviour. “I’ve always loved very fast. You hear those stories – ‘we went on a date and we’ve been married for 30 years’ – It’s sad (to feel that can’t happen).”

Sunk cost fallacy

Cecilie said: “Sunk Cost Fallacy is what you put into a relationship, and the further in you get, the more difficult it is to admit that something’s wrong because you already spent so much time, and so much money, that you go deeper and deeper into it instead of retracting.”

By the end victims have invested so much that they don’t want to listen to their inner doubts and abandon a course of action they have invested so heavily in. “You don’t want to confront your nightmare,” the campaigner says.

Never wanting to meet in person

In Cecilie’s case, she did meet her scammer in person often, but he was faking his identity. In most cases of romance fraud, scammers have a reluctance to take the relationship beyond the realm of online.

Cecilie said: “If they always have an excuse, like that they’re travelling, if they can never meet up or they’re always busy – be very wary. Meet up with them in person to make sure that the person you’re talking to online is the real one.”

Future faking

Future faking is manipulation based on an elaborate lie. It is when false promises are made about a shared future, such as a romantic relationship, business partnership, or investment.

This tactic involves feigning a deep connection and using elaborate, long-term plans to keep the victim invested.

“From the female and one male victim in the series, we can see that everyone wants that future with someone – it’s what we all want. Throughout this series, I saw text messages that the fraudsters were sending,” says Cecilie.

The six-part series shines a light on victims of romance fraud

The Tinder Swindler left Netflix viewers stunned in 2022, and the streamer’s new show seems to be doing the same.

Love Con Revenge landed on the streaming giant on Friday (September 5), and fans are already binge-watching all six episodes.

The new show shines a light on men and women who were swindled out of thousands by their partners.

It is hosted by Cecilie Fjellhøy, who told her own romance fraud story in The Tinder Swindler.

Now, Cecilie has teamed up with private investigator Brianne Joseph to help other victims share their stories.

The duo interviews the participants and investigates their cases in the hopes of gathering enough evidence for each victim to take to the police.

Netflix’s official synopsis teases: Victims of romance scams try to reclaim their lives with help from The Tinder Swindler target Cecilie Fjellhøy and private investigator Brianne Joseph.”

Within just hours of its premiere, Love Con Revenge has received praise from viewers.

An online reviewer urged true crime fans to tune in, writing: “If you were fascinated by The Tinder Swindler, then obviously, this investigative (and often very emotional) docuseries is perfect for you.”

They added, “I think it’s safe to say that Love Con Revenge will be a guilty pleasure for many. Especially fans of true crime documentaries like The Tinder Swindler. And the cases covered in the six episodes of season 1 are pretty damn brutal.”

Over on X, formerly Twitter, Netflix fans have been left in disbelief by the show’s fraud cases.

One wrote, “Love Con Revenge on Netflix is insane, omg. ” Another agreed: “Love Con Revenge on Netflix is so crazy.

Someone else chimed in with: “Love Con Revenge on Netflix. These stories are wild.”

A fourth urged, “I hope we are all watching Love Con Revenge on Netflix. It’s so interesting how these fraudsters operate.”

And a final viewer voiced: “Busy watching Love Con Revenge on Netflix and people are still catfishing and scamming people in the name of love in 2025?! I thought we all learnt our lessons after The Tinder Swindler.”

Love Con Revenge is streaming now on Netflix

The Tinder Swindler shot to the top of Netflix’s charts when it premiered in 2022 – but what happened to its star Cecilie Fjellhoy after the fame?

Netflix’s new show follows in the footsteps of The Tinder Swindler, and it even features a familiar face from the hit 2022 documentary.

True crime series Love Con Revenge shines a light on men and women who lent thousands to their partners before discovering they’d been duped.

The six-part show is hosted by Cecilie Fjellhoy, who told her own romance fraud story in The Tinder Swindler.

The Norwegian-born star is now on a mission to help other love scam victims seek justice, with the help of private investigator Brianne Joseph.

But what has kept Cecilie busy since she found fame?

Cecilie’s life after The Tinder Swindler fame

After topping Netflix’s charts, Cecilie teamed up with fellow scam victim Anna Rowe and set up LoveSaid, a think tank centred on fighting romance fraud.

The duo frequently share social media posts and publish articles raising awareness about love scams and offering support to other victims.

While the label ‘victim’ may have negative implications, it is not one Cecilie rejects.

The TV star made her thoughts on the label clear back in 2023, telling The Guardian: “Yes, f***, I want to be viewed as a victim. After being told by police: ‘It’s not really a crime.’ If that was the treatment I got, and my case was really high profile, what will they do to others?”

Beyond her collaboration with Anna, the entrepreneur has also found success as a public speaker, often leading talks on fraud detection and prevention.

The Netflix star has spoken at educational conferences everywhere from New York to Dubai, and more recently transformed her story into a novel.

Titled Swindled Never After, Cecilie wrote the book alongside The Tinder Swindler’s other alleged victim, Pernilla Sjoholm.

The duo claim this novel is not “just a retelling of The Tinder Swindler” but “a powerful mix of personal storytelling and eye-opening insights.”

Cecilie’s latest venture in exposing romance fraud is of course her new Netflix series, which spotlights the many shapes that love scams can take.

Speaking before the series premiere, she told Netflix: “Since The Tinder Swindler, I’ve heard from people all over the world who’ve been targeted by criminals hiding behind love.

“Love Con Revenge is a way for me to use what I’ve learned to help others heal, reclaim their voices, their power, and their lives.”

Love Con Revenge is streaming now on Netflix

SHOCKINGLY seven in ten singletons say they’ve given up on dating. Why? Because half of them say they’re put off by constantly meeting liars.

But are the signs there from the very first date? The Sun takes a look at the red flags that could mean your new love interest is out to break your heart.

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As many as 74 per cent singletons have either given up or have chosen to take ‘a lengthy break’ from finding love, according to a poll by dating site Seeking.

And an incredible 51 per cent said they have been fibbed to about their date’s age, while a third have turned up to find the person was shorter or taller than they were told.

Relationship therapist Rhian Kivits told The Sun: “Sadly, lots of people do lie, especially on dating profiles or when they are messaging before a date. Often they do this through insecurity.

“They want to get a date, but they have no confidence, so they post fake photos or tell lies about their age or height.

“This doesn’t necessarily mean they are abusive or dangerous, but if you spot this, it’s fair to ask, ‘Is this right for me?’

“Most of us probably don’t want to date someone who is presenting themselves as someone they are not.”

But that’s not the only white lie your date could dupe you with – there are seven red flags, according to Rhian, which might indicate a potential partner is telling porkies.

1. ‘Too good to be true’ dating profiles

If someone’s profile looks highly managed with model-like photos, and it all feels just a bit too good to be true, then it probably is.

People have been known to use AI photos or internet pictures that aren’t even them. Trust your intuition and if something in your gut gives you the impression it isn’t right, then it might be fake.

Look for photos of them doing a genuine hobby, such as playing golf.

But they should be on a course really playing, not just posing up nearby.

I like it when other people are in their photos, at a family barbecue, for example. This shows someone is a genuine person.

2. Question dodging

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Sometimes you might get chatting to someone and find they are dodging your questions.

You ask where they work, and they just say ‘all over the place’ or ‘I travel a lot’. That’s a red flag.

You might ask where and they say ‘the south west’, but that’s a big place.

Whilst I’d never expect someone to be specific, it’s reasonable to have some idea of what someone does and which town they live in before you meet up.

The same goes for relationship status. If they are being cagey or say ‘it’s complicated’, that’s not a promising sign.

3. Refuses a video call

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You can rule out a lot of fibs by meeting on a video call before a real date.

If they weren’t the age they told you, or the height, you’d know instantly.

If they say no to the call, what is it they don’t want you to see? Maybe they are sitting on the couch with their partner.

Liars can be very clever, so whilst you can never 100 per cent protect yourself, a video call beforehand is a great way of weeding out fibbers.

4. You share the same loves and hobbies

What some liars will do is ask an awful lot of questions about you.

Then they’ll say, ‘Oh, I love that too. ‘ It might be what you like to eat, where you like to hang out, whether you like swimming or going to the cinema.

What they are doing is painting themselves as your ideal partner and setting up a web of lies so you almost fall in love before you meet them.

This is a very negative trait, often used by narcissists, and they are very likely disingenuous.

If whatever you love, they love, it’s not always a good sign.

5. Overly rehearsed anecdotes

If they are telling stories or anecdotes that feel a little too polished rather than spontaneously shared, maybe they are not telling the whole truth.

When every detail is just so, you should be wondering what they have left out.

Look out for inconsistencies in their tales.

Perhaps in one version of the story, they were with a friend, then their brother.

Maybe it was last week the first time they told you, then last year.

And if they always paint themselves as the hero of the story, the one always in the right, perhaps they are not being 100 per cent honest.

6. Little or no digital footprint

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Most of us have a very big digital footprint these days. If there is nothing about them online, ask about it.

If they deleted a profile, why? If they have profiles under different names, why?

We can all look someone up before going on a date, and it’s healthy to do so. You might see they used to have a different job and switched careers, or their hair colour is different.

Just say ‘I did a sneaky Google of you’. If they are a genuine person, they won’t mind.

They’ll laugh and say, ‘Yes, I used to have red hair’. If they are cagey, something is up.

7. Suspicious smartphone activity

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Perhaps they are unusually protective of their phone when you meet up.

They might turn it face down or step away to reply.

They might not want you to see notifications pop up if it’s from a partner or someone else they are dating.

If you are on a date, they shouldn’t be on their phone too much anyway.

If they are, they might be texting their partner to say they are going to be late home from work.

Of course, this is not always the case but if they are on their phone a lot – ask why – and see how they react.

Why do people catfish others on dating apps?

Speaking to Techopedia, professional dating coach Jacob Lucas reveals how to see if someone is a catfish on dating apps.

A lot of people are insecure about themselves. They may not be very confident about dating or making friends, or about the way they look, so they create this fake persona. When they get attention and receive compliments, they then feel validated.

Very often, catfishes are in that person’s life already, so they already know them. Sometimes, it can be started off as a joke and then it spirals out of control. People can become addicted to it and it becomes a habit.

The third reason is that as weird as it sounds, they think they’re doing the right thing. If it’s a friend who has a lot of bad luck in their love life, they want to give them confidence. But they often get stuck in the habit and can’t stop doing it.

And finally, its could be that the person is trying to extort money from the other person. They may ask for a small amount of money to pay for their electricity bill for example to start off with, but if they do, it can spiral into a large amount of money. They use romance to get people to send them money.