The case of the Tinder Swindler shows the power of Interpol red notices—but what happens when they’re used improperly? Ben Keith & Rhys Davies report
- Simon Leviev, also known as the Tinder Swindler, was arrested in Georgia on an Interpol red notice, showing that the system can work when nations cooperate and act.
- A red notice is an electronic notification, indicating that one state is seeking the location, arrest and possible extradition of an individual—although jurisdictions respond to them in different ways.
- The system remains vulnerable to manipulation and abuse, with extensive documentation of misuse by authoritarian regimes.
Interpol and red notices returned to international headlines this September following the arrest of Simon Leviev, the notorious ‘Tinder Swindler’, at Batumi International Airport in Georgia. Detained immediately upon arrival on an Interpol red notice, Leviev’s case has reignited attention on international law enforcement mechanisms that can reach across borders, while simultaneously exposing the complexities and vulnerabilities inherent in these systems.
The convicted fraudster, whose real name is Shimon Yehuda Hayut, gained international notoriety through the 2022 Netflix documentary
