INTERNET FRAUD: Israeli Love Scammer who duped Women out of Hundreds of Thousands of Pounds after posing as a Billionaire’s son is arrested in Greece
Shimon Hayut, a 28-year-old Israeli playboy who called himself the ‘Prince of Diamonds’ while he allegedly conned women out of hundreds of thousands across the world after matching with them on Tinder has been arrested in Greece.
He is reported to have conned unsuspecting women by posing as the son of Simon Leviev, the son of billionaire diamond merchant Lev Leviev.
He was arrested in Greece following a joint operation between Interpol and Israeli police.
Israeli authorities have requested his extradition to his home country, where he has been wanted on charges of theft, forgery and fraud since 2011.
He is also under investigation for fraud in the UK, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Germany.
One of his victims, Cecile Fjellhoy, 29, from Lillestrom in Norway, says Hayut convinced her he was wealthy when they met in London. She said he overwhelmed her with his lavish spending on private jets, hotels, dinners and on staff including a bodyguard. Unknown to her, he was only setting her up for a huge scam. She was so taken in by his act she readily agreed when he asked her for a credit card – claiming he could not afford to leave a digital trail because of security issues.
Fjellhoy claims that she filled out documents for an American Express platinum card according to his instructions and he told her to file an income of £200,000.
She took out huge loans for the card and claims Hayut was soon living large at her expense.
Hayut spent £177, 671 in just 54 days and was racking up bills on paying for his two assistants, his bodyguard and flights across the world, according to the Norwegian. All of this happened just four weeks into the relationship.
Speaking out in an interview, Ms Fjellhoy revealed how the betrayal led her to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital.
Breaking down during the interview she said: ‘I hate him, he’s so horrible, I am just tired of crying about this you know?
‘It’s just so painful. I just hate myself that I did this.
‘I had to be put into a hospital. Psychiatric ward. Because of suicidal thoughts because I thought my life was over, like I didn’t see a way out.