Leviev Family Drops 'Tinder Swindler' Criminal Complaint After Agreement

After more than four years of legal battles, members of Israeli diamond tycoon Lev Leviev's family have moved to withdraw the criminal complaint filed against Simon Leviev, infamously known as the "Tinder Swindler." The decision follows an agreement reached between the two parties, which has been submitted for approval to the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court.

The terms of the agreement stipulate that the complaint will be dropped without an acquittal. Crucially, it includes a provision that the defendants will not, directly or indirectly, present Shimon Yehuda Hayut (Leviev's birth name) as being connected to the Leviev family or its various LLD companies. The defendants also agreed that they would not be entitled to reimbursement of legal costs or attorneys' fees, regardless of the complaint's dismissal.

Guy Ophir, the attorney representing the Leviev family, explained that the agreement was prompted by a legal issue raised by the court itself. The court noted that most of the alleged acts attributed to Hayut occurred outside Israel's borders, necessitating approval from the attorney general for the proceedings to continue. Ophir argued that the defense had not raised this issue and that it was inappropriate for the court to do so after the prosecution had concluded its case. He also contended that some offenses, including Hayut's name change and interactions with the Leviev family, did occur within Israel, but the court rejected the family's request to submit additional evidence supporting this claim.

Ophir further stated that continuing the trial, which would involve appeals, was expected to take another two to three years, potentially not concluding until 2030. Given that the alleged acts occurred in the previous decade, he deemed such a lengthy process pointless. He emphasized that the agreement does not absolve Hayut of the family's claims but ensures a judicial decision preventing him from associating himself with the Leviev name or businesses.

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We reached an agreement that does not absolve the defendants of our claims against them, but does ensure in a judicial decision that they will not present Simon as connected to the Leviev family or to the various LLD companies.