Simon Leviev 'Prince of Diamonds' Romance Scam: Impersonating a Diamond Family Heir to Defraud Women of Millions

Who Gets Targeted

Victims are primarily single professional women aged 25-40, located across Europe and the United States. They typically seek stable relationships on platforms like Tinder, possess a certain level of education and financial independence, yet harbor a desire for love and protection, making them susceptible to the 'Prince of Diamonds' high-net-worth persona and luxurious lifestyle. Scammers exploit their expectations for romance, trust in symbols of authority and wealth, and the fear of losing a 'high-quality partner,' first providing emotional value before manufacturing crisis scenarios to coerce victims into transferring money or applying for loans.

骗局怎么运作

• Persona Packaging: The scammer uses a fake identity on Tinder, posing as a member of the Lev Leviev diamond tycoon family. He portrays himself as a successful 'Prince of Diamonds,' with profile photos featuring private jets, luxury watches, high-end hotels, and designer clothing to create a top-tier 'rich kid' image that immediately garners admiration and trust.
• Rapid Escalation: After matching, the scammer quickly moves the conversation to private messaging apps like WhatsApp. He uses high-frequency messaging, sweet talk, and shared future planning to build intimacy, arranging luxury dates, private jet travel, and high-end dinners to convince the victim they are dating a genuine diamond family heir.
• Manufacturing Crises: Once an emotional foundation is established, the scammer claims his diamond business or family disputes have made him a target for 'enemies,' threatening his safety. He claims his credit cards and accounts have been frozen, requesting the victim's help by borrowing their credit cards or funds, often sending photos of bloodied bodyguards or staged attack scenes to heighten the sense of urgency.
• Snowballing Debt: The scammer uses 'temporary difficulties' as a pretext to pressure victims into opening multiple credit cards or applying for bank loans, promising quick repayment. He uses funds from new victims to pay off parts of the debt owed to previous ones, creating a Ponzi-like cycle that leaves each victim with tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt.
• Ghosting and Re-packaging: When a victim can no longer provide funds or begins to question the situation, the scammer immediately cuts off contact and continues using the same persona and tactics on Tinder to find the next target. Due to shame, fear, or the difficulty of cross-border legal action, victims rarely report the crimes, allowing the scammer to operate for long periods.

红旗信号（看到这些快跑）

• 🚩 The profile is too perfect, frequently featuring private jets, luxury cars, and designer clothes, yet the individual cannot provide any independently verifiable business registration or proof of family background.
• 🚩 The individual insists on moving from the dating platform to encrypted apps like WhatsApp shortly after meeting and quickly expresses intense love or promises of marriage.
• 🚩 During the relationship, the individual suddenly faces 'security threats' or 'frozen accounts' and demands that you provide credit cards, transfer money, or apply for loans.
• 🚩 The individual claims to be from a prominent family or business background but refuses video calls, refuses to meet in person, or limits meetings to luxury settings, preventing the victim from entering their real social circle.
• 🚩 The individual repeatedly asks for money under the guise of 'repaying it soon,' but never does, or only returns small amounts to maintain trust while constantly introducing new crisis scenarios.

真实案例

• According to the Netflix documentary 'The Tinder Swindler' and related reports, Norwegian victim Cecilie Fjellhøy met Simon Leviev on Tinder. After he claimed he was being hunted by enemies and his accounts were frozen, she was defrauded of approximately $250,000, obtained through multiple credit cards and bank loans, which has not been fully repaid. (Source: https://www.elle.com.hk/celebrity/netflix-the-tinder-swindler)
• Swedish victim Pernilla Sjöholm revealed in the documentary that she was defrauded of approximately $40,000 to $70,000 by Simon Leviev under the guise of 'security needs.' After the incident, she discovered his identity was entirely fabricated and his claimed relationship to the Leviev diamond family was publicly denied by the family.
• In February 2022, ELLE Hong Kong reported that Simon Leviev reached a settlement with the Leviev diamond family regarding the unauthorized use of their name, though the settlement amount was not disclosed. The Leviev family had previously filed a lawsuit accusing him of using their surname for fraudulent activities. (Source: https://www.elle.com.hk/celebrity/netflix-the-tinder-swindler)
• In March 2022, Marie Claire Taiwan reported that Simon Leviev was sentenced to only 15 months in prison in Israel, serving only about 5 months before his release. He has since remained active on Tinder and publicly announced plans to enter Hollywood and film a reality show, sparking global outrage and renewed statements from victims. (Source: https://www.marieclaire.com.tw/lifestyle/news/63984)
• In February 2022, lawyers for the Leviev family filed a criminal complaint against Simon Leviev at the Tel Aviv Magistrate Court, accusing him of using the family name to commit fraud. He had previously been sentenced to 15 months in prison in Israel for fraud, serving only 5 months. The Netflix documentary features 3 women recounting his scams. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Leviev)
• In September 2025, Simon Leviev was arrested at Batumi International Airport in Georgia at the request of Interpol. Previous reports indicated he had defrauded banks of $10 million via a Ponzi scheme between 2017 and 2019 and had long impersonated a diamond tycoon family member to commit fraud on Tinder. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Leviev)

Official Stance

• In February 2022, Norwegian police and law enforcement agencies across Europe issued alerts regarding the financial romance scam patterns depicted in the Netflix documentary 'The Tinder Swindler,' noting that such scams involve cross-border fund transfers and identity forgery. Victims were advised to keep transfer records and report to local police and Interpol.
• In February 2022, the UK's Action Fraud issued a warning to dating platform users to be wary of romance scams where individuals 'quickly establish a relationship and then request money due to an emergency,' advising against transferring money to anyone they have not met in person.
• In March 2022, Israeli prosecutors issued a statement regarding Simon Leviev's cross-border fraudulent activities, confirming his 15-month sentence for multiple fraud charges, though he served only about 5 months, sparking widespread discussion about the leniency of sentencing for cross-border financial romance fraud.
• In 2022, consumer protection agencies and cybersecurity organizations in multiple countries issued joint recommendations for dating platforms like Tinder, demanding stronger identity verification and risk warnings, while reminding users to remain highly vigilant against the 'wealthy persona + emergency loan' combination.

How to Protect Yourself

• ✅ Before establishing a relationship with anyone on a dating platform, request independently verifiable proof of identity and business background information. Verify the existence of the company or family through official channels rather than relying solely on photos and self-reported claims.
• ✅ Never transfer money, share credit cards, apply for loans, or purchase high-value items on behalf of someone you have not met or have only met briefly, regardless of whether they cite security threats, trade secrets, or emotional tests as reasons.
• ✅ Keep all chat logs, transfer receipts, and identity information. If you notice the individual frequently asking for money or presenting emergency loan scenarios, stop contact immediately, report them to the platform, and notify local police.
• ✅ Maintain rational judgment regarding overly dramatic personas like 'Prince of Diamonds' or 'Oil Tycoon Heir.' Be wary if the individual insists on moving to private channels like WhatsApp early in the relationship and refuses video verification.