Cecilie Fjellhøy expresses fury over Simon Leviev flaunting his lavish lifestyle, despite his history of romance fraud.
Leviev posed as a rich diamond dealer’s son and conned women out of millions, it is claimed. Cecilie did not know about his past fraud. He served time in Finland for scamming women. Now, Leviev promotes a new movie on Instagram and also promotes a meme token.
Leviev posts videos of himself in Dubai and shows a $578,000 Rolls-Royce. He calls himself a businessman and says some crypto funds will go to charity. Leviev called his accusers “pathological liars” and said they are “paid actresses.”
Cecilie said the victims are upset seeing his social media activities, including his crypto coin launch. She says he lies about a new Netflix documentary, and people ask her about it. She is in touch with Netflix and knows it is false.
Cecilie is angry he can defame his victims. Mainstream media gives him a platform, including radio shows in Dubai. She is sad he escaped justice in Europe and the UK, where a company fraud case exists against him.
Six years passed, yet he cons others freely. Leviev lured Cecilie into his lifestyle, then claimed his security guard was stabbed. He said he had trouble with “enemies,” and his cards stopped working, he told her. She sent him money, believing his life was in danger.
The documentary says he scammed around £7.4 million. He presented lavish dates and trips. Cecilie said the ordeal took much from her, including time, energy, money, and tears, after which she discovered the truth about him.
People think romance fraud victims are old ladies, but anyone can be vulnerable. Fraudsters seek something they can exploit. She moved to Norway without close family and was working a normal job after having good relationships.
He seemed supportive and funny. He had friends who vouched for him, and he hid his party lifestyle from her. He even blocked her from his Instagram stories, and he said they would marry and have kids. This is love bombing, she said.
He claimed he needed money for security and said he had to be away for safety, but he was just partying elsewhere. Things got worse from there, she added. She ended up in a psychiatric ward, and she learned his lies.
People think she traveled with him, but she was working in London instead. Her money paid for his fancy lifestyle. When she visited him, things were staged, and he played the role of a diamond CEO. It was like immersive theater.
It took time and stress to recover. She is grateful for the documentary. It made people aware of his actions and exposed other fraudsters. It gave her a new purpose. She wants to raise awareness of romance fraud.
Leviev was not charged for scamming the Netflix women. In 2019, he was jailed in Israel for using a fake passport in Greece. He was freed after five months for good behavior. In 2015, Finland gave him two years after he defrauded three women there.
Cecilie is a public speaker and consultant. She returned to dating apps but is wary, knowing the tricks scammers will use. She reports fake profiles she finds and is hopeful despite losing so much. She doesn’t want him to ruin her future.
Romance fraud rose nearly 10% in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The data covers the year to June 2024. The financial impact was £94.7 million, causing emotional and psychological damage.
Cecilie co-founded LoveSaid, which helps prevent romance fraud and empowers victims. Many victims feel overwhelmed, she reported. Be aware of tricks on Valentine’s Day, she says. Scammers mirror you and use coercive control.
Take a step back and breathe, she advises. Use reverse image searches online, check police resources, and contact LoveSaid if needed. Romance fraud is serious abuse. It connects with domestic abuse, and she believes there is hope.
She was abused emotionally and financially. She wouldn’t have consented knowing the truth. Victims have suffered financially, some even sold houses, she explained. Victims feel shame and hopelessness, and they contact LoveSaid.
She has no problem with online dating, but people must be careful and be mindful of what is real. Protect your heart online. Remember, someone is out for everyone. You might not fall for a “prince of diamonds.”
If you meet someone online, stay on the app. Don’t share your number quickly. Avoid moving to SMS or other apps. Be suspicious of money requests, and be careful about shared personal data. Talk to family and friends for advice.
Fraudsters isolate victims. Profile photos may be fake, so do a reverse image search. Learn more from LoveSaid or Action Fraud. Leviev said the Netflix victims are liars and that they got money from various sources.
Leviev told them to find a life. He says there are police complaints against them from Greece and Israel. He claims they lie against him and his project. He wants the authorities to investigate.
Leviev told Metro 5% of his coin goes to a women’s charity. This is a project they should be happy about, he says. He stated his meme coin is not a fraud.