Simon Leviev, who turned the most searched Israeli on Google following a film by which he allegedly swindled ladies out of millions of greenbacks, is angling to vary correct into a reality TV neatly-known particular person in a fresh sequence, The Simon Describe on FreeTV.
In an exciting interview with Maariv this week, Leviev addresses the allegations against him and accuses his ex-girlfriend, Kate Konlin, of attempting to extort money from him.
The fresh reality sequence promises to give an exciting watch into the mind of Simon Leviev, of Tinder Swindler fame. The lawful-crime documentary came out on Netflix in February 2022 and confirmed that Leviev used to be pretending to be the son of billionaire Lev Leviev and stealing exorbitant sums of cash from ladies he met on Tinder.
For the explanation that launch of the inferior documentary, Leviev has ideal taken a couple of TV interviews and spoken petite or no about himself or the allegations made against him. Nonetheless, that is starting up to alternate in the lead-as a lot as his beget uncover.
Leviev is overjoyed with his document of being the most-searched Israeli on Google, and talked about it several cases throughout his interview with Maariv, despite the dubious conditions under which he bought the title.
Leviev embodies many paradoxes. He claims on the one hand that he is harmless and all accusations against him are lies; on the quite loads of hand, he is also using on the infamy of his fame, promoting movies of customized birthday greetings and talking about launching his beget dating app.
To fancy his story, Maariv goes wait on with him to his origins, starting up alongside with his title which he determined to undertake later in existence after increasing up ultra-Orthodox in Bnei Brak with the title Simon Hayut.
„I grew up as an ultra-Orthodox youngster, and I was repeatedly a young one who requested questions,” he said. „I originate no longer take anything as a correct. And pointless to insist, the academics in college originate no longer luxuriate in it whenever you happen to depend on immoral questions. So they call you a heretic and, petite by petite, throw you out of the college. Starting in sixth grade I began to „fall” and switch faraway from religion. I began to head away [religion] at 12 years former – I went to a yeshiva in the US the fetch I was except age 17. Then, I returned to Israel and joined the navy. I was in the Navy, and I left the carrier after eight months this capacity that of it wasn’t luxuriate in minded [with me].”
„I started working for a family in Herzliya, and my boss did no longer pay me on time. He gave me a postdated test, so I forged one and supplied a automobile with it,” Leviev persisted, explaining how he turned a criminal. „I did no longer mediate the outcomes. At the age of 19, in 2010, I escaped the nation with a forged passport on account of this story, and I did no longer know what I was going to cease or what the future held for me. I went on with my existence, and in 2015, I was arrested for the usage of a false passport. After that I was deported wait on to Israel in 2017, and I was later arrested. I needed to pay bail and then I obtained out of jail.”
Didn’t you suspect about the outcomes of what you might perhaps per chance perhaps per chance per chance also very neatly be doing?
„Whilst you cease something, and you’re going to also very neatly be a young particular person and alone, you originate no longer have faith very well-known overall sense. I did no longer mediate what would happen one one year forward. This day I cease issues, and they have faith consequences and I deem five to 10 years forwards. Then I did no longer care what would happen one month later. That’s how every particular person is at 19. It is no longer luxuriate in 31, and unfortunately, I learned that the laborious formula.
Why did you settle to alternate your title to Simon Leviev?
„My family lower me off, and the ideal particular person I was in touch with used to be my grandfather and he used to be very in unhappy health.
„In 2017, when I was extradited to Israel, I was in jail for a month, and when they launched me, I desired to head search recommendation from my grandfather, I chanced on out he had passed away two months earlier than I was launched. I determined to fetch my total existence in the wait on of me.
„Simon and Shimon are the similar title, and Leviev? I was keen on the man who lived in Bnei Brak three streets from us. He used to be a particular person to detect as a lot as, and I said ‘I’ll fetch my existence in the previous, and the whole lot’s k.’ After that, I was in the nation for four or five months, and I waited for my trial, and unfortunately, I ran awty all all over again with a false passport.
„The whole lot that it sounds as if occurs in the film – the claims against Simon Leviev – are no longer lawful this capacity that of I by no formula primitive the title Simon Leviev in a international nation. How can they dispute they paid for inns and flights for me if I hadn’t primitive the title?”
How exactly does that contradict the movie’s claims?
„I was wanted in the the Direct of Israel. You might perhaps per chance perhaps no longer exhaust your precise passport, so you exhaust a various identification, a various age, I was on trial for it and I owned as a lot because it. I served and I payed for it masses, and in 2019, I was arrested in Greece with a false passport in the title of David Sharon.
„I was fetch on trial and agreed to be given to Israel. I spent half a one year in jail in Greece, and after that I served six months in jail in Israel, and that is the explanation it. I was launched on Can even merely 5, 2020.
„All through my sentence, Netflix contacted my attorney and said they made a movie about me. Since 2019, they’d said they had been making the movie and supplied me to take part in it. After I realised it used to be one-sided, I refused. I’m for the time being suing Netflix. We’re in negotiations to realize a settlement without making it to courtroom. There might perhaps be a movie coming out in the following couple of months of my aspect, and Netflix themselves are engaged on a fictional uncover with actors about the ‘Tinder Swindler’.”
Did you dispute yourself as Leviev’s son?
No, I by no formula introduced myself [like that]. I repeat, I by no formula primitive the title Leviev in a international nation, and I could no longer have faith. I by no formula primitive inns and nobody can have faith booked me a resort this capacity that of at the time the movie talks about, I did no longer exhaust Leviev.”
So the fetch did the total accusations near from?
„You might perhaps per chance perhaps even have faith gotten to label that in the wait on of the manufacturing is money and issues are no longer coming from nowhere. It is Netflix’s most a success documentary movie, and it had rather a couple of strength and advertising. A lot of other folks are in the wait on of it. It is commerce and it be rankings.
Tinder Swindler (credit rating: NETFLIX)
„It started with an editorial, and the article caught on, and it began rolling. The movie used to be watched by more than half a billion other folks on this planet. If I was this kind of swindler luxuriate in they made me out to be, I’ll perhaps per chance perhaps per chance be in jail.
„Glance at any other investigative article against somebody else – straight away 20-30 other folks near out and dispute. For me, it be the total similar ladies. It is sprint that somebody attempting to receive publicity gets rankings.
Had been the ladies in the movie in actuality your girlfriends?
I dated Cecile, and I met her three cases in my whole existence. The opposite two ladies had been my website online visitors, and one of them even said that. The third girl fundamental to be taught the issues she used to be announcing from the phone better. It used to be transparent.”
So what took procedure with Cecile? She’s no actress, her reaction did no longer detect false.
„Whilst you fetch rather a couple of money, it be no scenario to describe experiences, and I can not near and describe my aspect. I went out with her three cases, and a couple of other folks suggested her I was an escaped criminal. They realised they could per chance perhaps write some article. The reality that for the time being she’s emotional is her project.
„The reality that a particular person cries in an interview would no longer indicate it in actuality took procedure. That’s her commerce. I do know that folks take performing classes and practice. For an precise scene, it be fundamental to cease 40 rehearsals.
‘Whilst you watch me playing the piano in the uncover, and when I smoke a cigar and smoke comes out my mouthm, we did rather a couple of takes. There might perhaps be lighting fixtures, you might perhaps per chance perhaps per chance per chance also very neatly be directed. You originate no longer lawful stroll in the avenue and straight away there is a fetch of dwelling.
„A TV interview would no longer have faith rehearsals. I am going and give the interview and what occurs occurs. Why cease I need a director? If it be precise, why cease you’d like lighting fixtures and microphones? Folks takes classes.
„I’d no longer uncover numbers, nonetheless Cecile bought rather a couple of money,” Leviev insisted. „To illustrate that each person’s claims in the movie amounted to $350,000. They launched crowd funding and made £800,000. Where did the total money journey? To continue lying and exhibiting interviews the fetch each person says a various quantity? When other folks owe me money, I do know exactly how well-known it’s.”
Possess you ever managed to talk to the ladies who came out against you?
„No, I originate no longer test with liars and these that dispute about me. I in actuality have faith lawsuits against them. I in actuality have faith nothing to insist to other folks luxuriate in that. There might perhaps be greed here, and there’s publicity. Nobody is doing this for nothing.
„Someone who’s in debt can not have faith sufficient money to fly. There might perhaps be no longer any sense in what they’re announcing. I was an ‘escaped criminal’, and I had non-public jets, I’m a persona. I was wanted and I fetch my head down. They formula they watch it, there’s more clicks. They wish terminate, and it brings them money. Nobody does anything for nothing, and I’ll continue to cease this for money.”
We heard recordings. You said serious issues and threatened other folks. You might perhaps per chance perhaps no longer verbalize that
„They dispute recordings that are no longer connected to the specific project. If a pair gets divorced, pointless to insist they are going to insist defective issues about every other; in the occasion you develop an investigative part against some businessman, cease you admire what used to be in the deal?; in the occasion you fire an employee this capacity that of she stole, pointless to insist she’ll sing she is no longer in actuality guilty. And if I left my girlfriend this capacity that of she cheated on me, every particular person of their very beget story will develop their very beget excuses.
„They take recordings and cease emotional manipulations. You’re a journalist, and you admire the supreme blueprint to dispute issues. They fetch my words in the center of other issues.
„I’m no longer threatening [anyone] in the recordings. In English there’s no female or masculine [second person pronouns]. I sing ‘thank you for the whole lot you have faith finished’, and that is also to the motive force who picked me up. ‘Listen, give me the fucking money’ – there is a recording of that. You deem they did no longer edit it? The movie came out in 2022, and they were engaged on it since 2019. Did you watch paperwork? A single shekel that any individual drew from an ATM?”
So what took procedure whenever you happen to said ‘Listen, give me the fucking money’?
„I’d no longer journey into each message and the whole lot that took procedure. In the movie that is coming out I’ll give the total info. They took my issues and my recount messages, and they manipulated them to detect luxuriate in I’m jumping from girl to girl. In point of fact as far as west to east.”
From lovers to enemies
One of the most mysterious ladies in Leviev’s story used to be Israeli mannequin Kate Konlin who used to be his girlfriend for a one year and a half. Konlin gave interviews and stood by him.
„These testimonies are as realistic as in the occasion you said I’m a WWE fighter,” she suggested N12. „Listen, the quantities they said he stole from them are rate the similar as presents he buys me on Saturday. It is absurd. Why would he take tens of hundreds from some girl when he on a unparalleled basis spends that well-known? It would no longer develop sense.”
Closing April the 2 broke up, and in December, Konlin came out against Leviev for the critical time in Chaim Etgar’s movie The Lady Who Brought Down the Tinder Swindler on N12 by which she claimed she had fallen for his rip-off and that she had been threatened to face by him and dispute a glittering, photogenic relationship.
Even your ideal supporter came out against you and said you scammed her? Is she also lying?
„I did no longer desire to be with her anymore and it ended badly when she understood she would no longer receive to any extent extra money. The media paid her NIS 75,000. She’s blonde and they dyed her hair crimson so as that she would detect pathetic.
„I originate no longer deem I was brought down. Is there a police investigation? Is there a 120-day restraining define? It is ridiculous and it be a lie.
„The second she understood I wasn’t going to give her money, it used to be in actuality easy for her to originate regrets. She known as me and threatened me that she would sing I hit her, so I said ‘you might perhaps per chance perhaps per chance no longer accuse me of issues luxuriate in that.’ However to head and publicize these items, this ambush? The girl who brought me down? There used to be nothing there.
She understood that she might perhaps per chance perhaps per chance be remembered because the Tinder Swindler’s ex. Her blue test and her likes – I paid and that is what she tried to cease to me. She acts in the movie, and it used to be her dream to receive on the stage.
„I’m lucky these are the issues other folks made up about me and no longer sexual abuse. Any one who lives their existence understands that these items are ridiculous and originate no longer have faith any reality. However I’m no longer stuck in my previous. Folks settle to glance me in a certain formula this capacity that of it in actuality works for them. Experience describe these who I scammed you and I promise, you’re going to be in a various edition.
„They attacked me, ambushed me on July 1,” claimed Leviev in reference to Etgar’s movie. „I filed a complaint against them in the police, and they took apart his fetch of dwelling. My driver filmed them, and that ruined their surprise. If Etgar had on the realm of me, I’d have faith spoken to him. It would no longer hobby me, I originate no longer have faith anything to conceal from somebody, and I originate no longer have faith to scuttle from somebody.
„Adva Dadon supplied me the questions forward of time. Man Peleg, 60 Minutes – anything I desire I receive on any world stage. They came lawful for the rankings.
„I in actuality have faith movies from my aspect that my driver took. How did Cecile receive to Israel if she used to be in debt? She used to be lawful walking in the avenue and straight away there is a fetch of dwelling? Folks originate no longer keep in mind that they pay her money for inns and flights. It is all staged.
„‘The police sing it be an advanced case.’ Effectively, a one year has long previous by since they filmed it. I filed three lawsuits against Cecile and then I stopped myself to no longer develop her depressing. What I did for her used to be this capacity that of I in actuality have faith respect. She can dispute, nonetheless that does no longer worth money. She obtained publicity and here she is leaving the nation. She would no longer hobby somebody.”
We heard recordings by which you sound luxuriate in you might perhaps per chance perhaps per chance per chance also very neatly be threatening Kate
„You originate no longer watch the quite loads of aspect, you originate no longer watch the aspect by which a young girl obtained harm on the steps in the home and then goes and tries to originate an excuse to head the health center. She tries to blackmail you – ‘in the occasion you originate no longer give me an condo for a one year I’ll journey to the police.’ The story is: She’s known me since 2010. She is aware of I’m no longer a violent particular person. However this capacity that of she’s a woman, they could per chance perhaps no longer dispute her successfully. I’d no longer let somebody blackmail me for something that did no longer happen. This is no longer ladylike behavior. I in actuality have faith more instruments at my disposal – stronger than Channel 12, stronger than Yisrael Bidur.”
Why cease you suspect [people and the media] are clinging to you?
„Rankings. The film bought the highest rankings on Netflix in two years. This commercial made money, and even in a no longer easy existence, a particular person has to pay money. The media receives money – it be also a commerce. Also the newspaper you work at [needs advertisements]. I lift [high] rankings.”
Leviev’s docu-reality sequence is the critical real manufacturing by the streaming network FreeTV – a preference that evidently also constitutes an announcement about the company’s persona. The uncover’s producers flip Leviev correct into a humorous e-book persona while mute exhibiting rather a couple of legitimate conversations and behaviors that frequently cease no longer develop the final edited lower of TV presentations.
Why did you settle to develop a sequence about your existence?
„I purchased an offer – I’d no longer lie – that used to be economically [advantageous]. Also, the blueprint in which to uncover my existence – if I am going continue to exist TikTok, I’m in a position to realize half 1,000,000 other folks and if I submit a story on Instagram I’m in a position to realize 400,000 viewers. Folks deem that I receive up in the morning and catch out about ladies on Tinder. [In reality TV,] you reside with other folks – whether it be merchandising or blessings. The whole lot used to be precise, it used to be raw enviornment subject. The director even fetch some issues in that I in actuality did no longer desire to be in there.
„The sequence follows my existence this capacity that of the movie came out on Netflix – how I coped and what actions I took after the film [came out]. This is no longer my aspect [of the story]. My aspect is coming out in every other film on HBO. This will be a documentary sequence that follows me. They desired to uncover a more human perspective, my existence, no longer ideal what you watch from the out of doorways or what comes from the media. There used to be no script. They fetch the ‘misses,’ the sharp issues.
„Folks know the persona of ‘Simon.’ This is the precise Simon – who I’m, how I tackle issues. It is a war that no longer many people were ready to address. For better or for worse [people will be able] to glance a watch of my precise existence, what I cease and what projects I’m engaged on.
„At the tip of the day, I’m a human being luxuriate in each person else,” Leviev continues. „I’m no longer the monster they painted me to be. I don’t have faith to act luxuriate in I’m unhappy for somebody, I don’t have faith to reside in a tent or to drive a Toyota Yaris – or no subject else it’s – if I’m in a position to beget a Ferrari I’ll drive a Ferrari, if I had stolen it from any individual I’d were arrested, and I wasn’t arrested.
Simon Leviev at the seaside in Tel Aviv this previous weekend. (credit rating: COURTESY WALLA NEWS)
“Folks have faith to label I’m a law-abiding citizen, that I’m no longer the monster that they created.
„There are laborious issues, the fetch I cam from and the procedure I left in the wait on of. As an illustration, take the reality that I modified my last title – other folks might perhaps per chance perhaps per chance also mute respect that.
“Folks can alternate their gender nonetheless when I alternate my last title it’s straight away fraud? That’s this capacity that of it’s comfy and brings in the rankings.
„I’m also a human being, and I even have faith emotions,” adds Leviev in a monologue that will also be heartbreaking in the occasion you have faith no longer watched The Tinder Swindler.
“I be taught the comments nonetheless they don’t even harm me anymore, I’m one of many most sought for folks on Google for the one year 2022, no longer Gal Gadot and no longer [Benjamin] Netanyahu. I’m talking about more than a billion searches worldwide.
“On the avenue, I fetch adoration without an kill, other folks deem that I ‘broke the gadget,’ and that’s also a petite bit humorous to me. I desire other folks to snatch here I’m, lawful Simon, and I even have faith emotions.”
Many Israelis in actuality feel uncomfortable with the illustration of Israelis that you just’ve brought to the display conceal conceal – how cease you’re feeling about that?
“To begin with, I don’t be mindful being chosen to be the nation’s ambassador. My procedure of starting up fetch has nothing to cease with the accusations.
“There are rather a couple of these who catch it sharp to toughen me here, nonetheless in a international nation other folks cherish and toughen [me].”
Sooner or later, cease you remorse anything you potentially did alongside the model?
“The whole lot I did, the total mistakes that I made, I’m at peace with them. I take the whole lot as a lesson for existence, there’s nothing else to cease.
“The mistakes I made as a young particular person – I’ve apologised for them, with money, by serving time, with violence.
“They tackle me luxuriate in I’m Hitler himself. I don’t desire my body to be dragged correct throughout the metropolis. It’s all lies, nonetheless if it used to be precise – you’d mute have faith to take issues in share.”
Comments
From Cecilie Fjellhoy Pelhoi: „I’ll no longer entertain a convicted fraudster in repentance, nonetheless the whole lot is confirmed in the Netflix documentary and on Channel 12. The reality that you just even entertain him by letting him continue to slander and spew lies is merely unhappy.”
The manufacturing of the uncover Exposure and Keshet 12 spoke back : „We are overjoyed with Haim Etgar’s Exposure investigation on Shimon Leviev and invite the readers to near wait on and watch it.”
Licensed skilled Man Ophir said on behalf of the Leviev family: „Shimon Hayut has regularly impersonated a member of the Leviev family, and there might perhaps be proof for this alongside side recordings, witnesses and photos. He grew up conclude to the family and it’s obvious that he worked on this notion for a couple of years.
„Even his father helped him alongside with his impersonation, and on one occasion introduced his son, Shimon Hayut, no longer as his son, nonetheless as a member of the Leviev family. This will be a pair of criminal who does no longer dare to lie even when the total world is aware of the reality, and the reality that he is mute free is a proof of poverty for the law enforcement gadget in Israel.”
No comment used to be bought from Perry Kfari, the company that represents Kate Konlin.
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