'Israel's' Tinder Swindler Simon Leviev released from jail in Georgia

• “Tinder Swindler” Simon Leviev has been released in Georgia after Germany dropped its extradition request.
• Leviev was held for two months following an Interpol red notice tied to an alleged 50,000 euro fraud case.
• His lawyer says the case was closed due to “lack of evidence.”

'Israeli' con artist Simon Leviev, whose schemes gained worldwide attention through Netflix’s documentary The Tinder Swindler, has been released from custody in Georgia after spending two months behind bars awaiting possible extradition to Germany, his lawyer announced on Friday.

Leviev, born Shimon Yehuda Hayut, had been arrested on September 15 at Batumi airport after German authorities issued an Interpol red notice relating to an alleged fraud case. Since then, he had been held at a detention center in the western Georgian city of Kutaisi while officials considered Germany’s request.

According to his attorney, Mariam Kublashvili, Leviev walked free with no strings attached after German prosecutors unexpectedly withdrew the extradition bid.

He was released “without any conditions,” she said, explaining that he did not have to pay bail, surrender documents, or agree to travel limits. “The case against him was fully closed,” she added.

German authorities had opened a case following allegations by a Berlin woman who claimed Leviev swindled her out of as much as 50,000 euros (USD 58,000) after they matched on Tinder. Had the case moved forward, he could have faced a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.

Kublashvili said she believed prosecutors backed down due to a “lack of evidence,” though German officials have not publicly clarified their reasoning.

Leviev’s name became synonymous with high-profile romance fraud after investigative journalists revealed he had used Tinder between 2017 and 2019 to present himself as a billionaire heir, persuading women to lend him large sums that were never repaid. The scheme reportedly involved staged displays of wealth, including private jets, bodyguards, and designer hotels, to make the deception appear credible.

The 2022 Netflix film chronicled the experiences of several women who said they were scammed by Leviev, while the platform stated he ultimately defrauded victims in Norway, Finland, and Sweden of an estimated USD 10 million.