Tinder Swindler subject Shimon Hayut sued by real-life Leviev family

The Tinder Swindler (AKA Shimon Hayut) is being sued by the real-life Leviev family after he took on the alias Simon Leviev on social media. 

The family is filing a lawsuit against the fraudster for impersonating their name and using it to build up his own image, according to People.

The subject of the hit Netflix documentary told women on dating app Tinder that he was the son of Israeli diamond tycoon Lev Leviev. He reeled in victims by taking them on expensive dates and forming long-distance relationships, before asking them to take out lines of credit for him under their names in order to pay for what he claimed to be extensive security needs, conning them out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

According to court documents seen by People, the family claims that "for a long time, he [Hayut] has been making false representations as being the son of Lev Leviev and receiving numerous benefits (including material ones)."

The documents allege that Hayut has been "cunningly using false words, claiming to be a member of the Leviev family, and that his family will pay and bear the costs of his benefits."

Hayut was sent to prison in Israel for 15 months in December 2019, but he only served five months of the sentence – he is currently a free man. 

The Tinder Swindler was directed by Felicity Morris, who previously produced the 2019 documentary series Don't F*** With Cats for the streamer. It premiered on February 2 and quickly made it into the top 10 charts in both the US and the UK. 

If you've already seen The Tinder Swindler, check out our list of the other best Netflix documentaries that you can stream right now.