Netflix's 'Tinder Swindler' arrested in Georgia

Israeli conman Simon Leviev, who was the subject of a popular 2022 Netflix documentary, The Tinder Swindler, has been arrested in Georgia, the Georgian Interior Ministry reported.

Leviev had an international warrant out for his arrest. He was taken into custody at Interpol's request after arriving at Batumi airport.

Leviev, 34, gained notoriety after an investigative documentary uncovered a string of romance fraud and financial crimes, involving an estimated $10m.

He allegedly posed as the wealthy heir of a diamond mogul on dating app Tinder and swindled women into lending him large sums of money, which he never repaid. Leviev previously denied the allegations.

Between 2017 and 2019, Leviev's catfishing scheme - creating a false online persona - involved luring women into romantic relationships with an extravagant lifestyle of private jets and luxury holidays.

His victims shared their stories in the documentary series, saying they were courted by Leviev with glamorous gifts and getaways to gain their trust.

They said Leviev would later pretend he was being pursued by his "enemies" and ask them to transfer him significant sums of money, before breaking off all contact.

In 2019, Leviev was convicted of four charges of fraud in a separate case and sentenced to 15 months in prison, but he was released after serving only five months.

In 2022, The Tinder Swindler, a true crime documentary film, was released for streaming on Netflix. It tells the story of women who became entangled with Leviev, who charmed them by presenting himself as a wealthy man, conning them out of their money with no intention of repaying it.