Netflix’s New True Crime Doc Takes Catfishing To A Whole New Level

Netflix’s latest true-crime offering arrives in the form of The Tinder Swindler, which follows the jaw-dropping story of several women who were conned out of hundreds of thousands of dollars by a prolific playboy scammer. If you’re in need of a fresh true crime fix, this must-watch doc is the one for you. Here’s everything there is to know about The Tinder Swindler below.

The Tinder Swindler Plot

From the makers of Don’t F*** With Cats, this two-hour documentary tells the story of Israeli conman, Shimon Hayut, who allegedly scammed women out of hundreds of thousands of dollars by posing as Simon Leviev, the son of the billionaire diamond mine owner, Lev Leviev.

According to Variety, Hayut used his charm to target women from Norway, Finland, and Denmark on the the popular dating app Tinder, and would trick his victims into handing him over huge sums of money under false pretences. He allegedly convinced one woman to take out a series of loans so he could pay his expenses and protect himself from his “enemies.” In December 2019, Hayut was finally imprisoned in Israel and sentenced to 15 months in jail. However, he served just five months of his sentence.

One of the women featured in the documentary is Norwegian graduate Cecile Fjellhøy, who, along with two other victim of Hayut, sets out to uncover his true identity and bring him to justice. “Where this fairytale ends, a revenge thriller begins. Cecilie discovers his other targets and once they band together, they’re victims no more: the Tinder Swindler meets his match,” an official synopsis teases.

The Tinder Swindler Trailer

The official trailer for Netflix’s The Tindler Swindler was also recently unveiled, and provides a sneak peak into some of the shocking true stories from Hayut’s web of deception.

“When I first talked with Simon, immediately we had a bond,” one victim explains in the trailer. “He was smart and funny, and very impulsive,” another adds. Meanwhile, the first-look clip also teases the moment Hayut’s house of cards begins to collapse. “The man I love was never real. Everything’s a lie,” says another victim.

The Tinder Swindler Release Date

Thankfully, you don’t have to wait too long before you can dive into what promises to be a gripping and eye-opening documentary, as The Tinder Swindler is available to stream on Netflix as of Feb. 2, 2022.