The Tinder Swindler Just Broke His Silence

It’s not even been a week since Netflix released The Tinder Swindler, but already the drama is real. In addition to the voice messages he left the creators of the documentary proclaiming his innocence, Israeli con man Simon Hayut has spoken out about Netflix’s latest true-crime hit on his now public Instagram.

Starting off by thanking everyone for all their support — which The Tab notes is strange seeing as the majority of comments on his page are extremely negative — Hayut says that he will share his “side of the story” in the coming days when he has “sorted out the best and most respectful way to tell it, both to the involved parties” and himself. He ends the Insta story statement by saying, “Until then, please keep an open mind and heart.”

Hayut, who is known to his victims as Simon Leviev, swindled women out large sums of money all over the world to fund his lavish lifestyle. He did so by presenting himself as the son of billionaire Israeli diamond tycoon Lev Leviev, who has since filed a complaint against Hayut for “falsely presenting himself as his son,” according to The Times of Israel.

Back in 2019, Hayut issued a statement regarding his involvement with one of his victims featured in The Tinder Swindler, Cecilie Fjellhøy. “There is nothing here just [a] loan between friends that went south,” he told ABC News. “[Fjellhøy] agreed to loan me money and then she disappeared, not answering phones or emails or letters ... before we [were] able to pay her back.”

Speaking of his victims in general, Hayut said, “They used me for my life and got expensive gifts and everything, in other words gold diggers.” He continued: “When I ask help they agreed to help and they know that I have some problems, I didn’t run from no one it’s all fake news and lies.”