Diamond News Archives

(IDEX Online) - A criminal investigation has reportedly been opened in Israel against "Tinder Swindler" Shimon Hayut, following a complaint from the Leviev family, owners of Leviev Diamonds.

It follows Netflix's true-crime documentary which told how Hayut, 31, seduced numerous women over the Tinder dating app with his jet set lifestyle, then persuaded them to hand over money with claims that his life was being threatened. 

Hayut, 31, (pictured) legally changed his name to Simon Leviev, posed as CEO of the company and styled himself as Prince of Diamonds.

Hayut posed as Simon Leviev on Tinder and pretended to be the son of millionaire Lev Leviev and scammed women around the world of thousands of dollars.

The Levievs filed a complaint against Hayut at a Tel Aviv court, alleging he had harmed the family name.

"We got a lawyer who will represent us and will do everything to bring this scammer to justice," Hagit Leviev, CEO Leviev Group USA and daughter of Lev Leviev, told the Jerusalem Post.

"This crook stole our identity. All our gains from this lawsuit will be donated to his victims."

Hayut was arrested in Athens and later jailed in Israel in December 2019. He was released early because of coronavirus and served only five months of a 15-month term....

(IDEX Online) - A 38-carat Goloconda diamond that once belonged to socialite Christina Onassis is being offered for sale with a $7.5m price tag.

The pear-shaped Type IIa, D-color, VVS1-clarity stone was set into a pendant necklace by Jacques Timey for the King of Diamonds, Harry Winston.

The platinum and white 18K gold necklace (pictured) has an additional  20.00 to 25.00 total carats, of G color and VS clarity. 

Goloconda diamonds, mined in India until the 17th century, are prized for their remarkable quality, whiteness and clarity.

The diamond was a gift It was a gift to Christina Onassis from her father Aristotle Onassis, Greek shipping magnate who died in 1975.

It's being sold by M.S. Rau, specialists in fine art, antiques and jewelry, in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA....

(IDEX Online) - A criminal who defrauded 30 jewelry stores using stolen credit and debit cards he bought on the dark web has been jailed for more than six years.

Hasan Howard, 23, of Cleveland, Ohio, USA, was also ordered to pay $261,000 in restitution.

He and co-conspirators bought high-value jewelry and watches in store and over the phone, according to court documents.

He and others bought $19,000 a Rolex watch from one jewelry store in Westlake, Ohio, and four diamond and gold bracelets from another, in Canton, Ohio, valued at over $26,000.

Howard was sentenced on 6 July after he pleaded guilty in March to conspiracy to commit access device fraud, access device fraud and aggravated identity theft.

Howard was arrested on 20 May 2021, with a co-defendant, after purchasing more than $20,000 in items from jewelers in Aurora, Ohio. ...