Now I am a fan of a good scam. Is it heart wrenching? Yes. Do I pray that the victims have set up Go-Fund-Me’s even if I personally am probably not going to donate to them? I do. But recent Netflix releases The Tinder Swindler and Inventing Anna have caused me to wonder what the outcome of spreading this information actually is. Could this type of exposure actually help the perpetrator?
The Tinder Swindler is a documentary exposing the gold-dipped ponzi scheme of the dating app world’s resident fraudster Simon Leviev (you’re off the hook this time, West Elm Caleb). Spending one woman’s money to woo the next, he scammed his dates out of an estimated $10 million dollars over the course of just two years. How, you wonder? Sociopathic tendencies, toxic behavior, delusional confidence, and a complete lack of shame.
Similarly, Anna Delvey, the inspiration for Inventing Anna, scammed her way into New York’s elite society by claiming to be a German Heiress with huge business dreams. Conning her close friend out of $60,000 on a group vacation in Morocco and almost faking her way into a $22 million loan from Fortress Bank, she brazenly tore through her relationships in an effort to achieve the fame and fortune she so desired.
So, what’s the real outcome for the subjects of these specials? Netflix has approximately 222 million subscribers worldwide, creating one of the largest media platforms on the planet. Though shedding light on stories like this seems like a viable option for obtaining justice, dangers could lurk. That old saying “all press is good press” unfortunately applies in this case, helping these con artists reach their goals and aspirations.
Anna Delvey treated her trial like a fashion show in preparation for the press photos. She refused her plea bargain in favor of a tell-all article exposing her life story in order to get her name out there. Her ultimate dream wasn’t just to hurt the people around her; it was to become famous. Freshly out of prison, guess how many Instagram followers she has? 301k and increasing daily. Guess who’s reading about her right now? You.
Simon Leviev is no different. Despite hurting women all over the world, he is newly verified on Instagram, continuing to flex his mystery wealth. People(Well, men. Let’s be real.) are actually attacking the women that he conned online, calling them dumb and incapable of handling money. This exposure granted by Netflix has picked the two criminals up and handed them a platform larger than they’ve ever had. Was a few hours of entertainment worth it?
The knowledge that Netflix paid Anna Delvey $300,000 for her life rights hurts a little bit, as does knowing that I contributed to it by watching the show. But, I just can’t help it. I love hearing about a good scam! The stories are a decadent combination of suspenseful, infuriating, brilliance that leaves you wondering: how could anyone fall for this?
Emotional manipulation is a powerful tool that can be detrimental if harnessed and wielded by the wrong person. The reason that both of these con artists received such small prison sentences is because most of the fraud that took place wasn’t technically illegal. Simon Leviev convinced his girlfriends that he had the money to pay them back, building trust so they willingly took out loans for him. Anna Delvey didn’t coerce her friend into offering her credit card in Marrakesh; she offered under the assumption that Anna would eventually switch the bill to her card. It’s a fine line of trust and betrayal that only sociopaths feel comfortable walking. So watch your back, especially when it comes to money.
I’m not thrilled that these Netflix specials have handed exposure to these two psychos, but I’d also be a liar if I said I’m not glad I got to experience their stories. Simon Leviev and Anna Delvey are bad people. They’re brilliant manipulators, but they deserve the stamp of disapproval they’ve received. Go ahead and watch the specials for yourselves, but be mindful before you leave a hate comment on their instagram that could accidentally increase their social influence. In this day and age, even rude engagement is still engagement.