'Tinder Swindler' Simon Leviev sued by real Leviev diamond family

MANILA, Philippines — Con artist Simon Leviev, the subject of Netflix documentary "The Tinder Swindler," is being sued for million of dollars by the real Leviev family who owns the diamond empire he's pretending to be an heir of. 

The con man was born Shimon Hayut, who allegedly stole an estimated $10 million from 2017 to 2019 from female victims across Europe, using the dating app Tinder to hook his targets. 

Hayut was able to lure women into giving large sums of money in "emergencies" after telling stories that he's a member of the Leviev family, the rich Israeli-Russian clan with a successful diamond business, claiming he's the "son of Israeli diamond tycoon Lev Leviev."

Court documents gathered by multiple media outlets suggested that the real Leviev family finally filed a legal action against the fraudster for false representation.

"For a long time, [Shimon] has been making false representations as being the son of Lev Leviev and receiving multiple numerous benefits (including material ones), cunningly using false words, claiming to be a member of the Leviev family, and that his family will pay and bear the costs of his benefits," court documents of the lawsuit filed in Tel Aviv, Israel read.

The documents also mentioned that Hayut "defrauded, cheated, conned, falsified, and hurt women, men, and businesses." The con man also allegedly used a photo of Lev and Ayelet Leviev Jacobson for his schemes "without permission," photoshopping himself into the family portrait.

Other accusations in the lawsuit include defamation, invasion of privacy, and breach of trademarks.

"I am relieved that his real identity and actions have been globally exposed, and hopefully this will bring an end to his unscrupulous actions. The lawsuit we filed today is just the first step out of many we will be taking to have him face justice and get the sentence he deserves," Chagit Leviev, daughter of Lev and heiress of the family fortune, told People Magazine.

According to reports, Hayut was charged in Israel with theft, forgery, and fraud for cashing stolen checks in 2011. In 2012, he was indicted by an Israeli court and charged with theft and forgery of checks, as well as for leaving a five-year-old he was babysitting unattended. In 2015, he was arrested in Finland and was sentenced to three years in prison for defrauding several women. Hayut is also wanted for various fraud and forgery offenses by Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

In an interview with CNN on February 21, 2022, Hayut denied the defrauding of the women, claiming he was just a "single guy who wanted to meet some girls on Tinder."

RELATED: 'Budol' alert: 'Tinder Swindler' victim shares lessons from ordeal