Money

The tables have turned on 'Tinder Swindler' Simon Leviev ... he was bamboozled himself in an Instagram scam.

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ … Simon was hit up last Thursday by a verified female on Instagram. She claimed she'd help Simon and GF Kate Konlin get verified on the app through her BF -- saying he worked at Meta, Mark Zuckerberg's tech company that owns IG.

The alleged swindlers went to great lengths to pull this off ... Simon Facetimed the BF, who was in a busy office -- appearing like he was at Meta, with employees walking around behind him.

The fake "Metamate" said the only way he could give him the blue check on his profile -- as well as delete the fake accounts under his name -- would be to offer up a big chunk of change ... $6,664. The payments were sent via PayPal through 2 separate transactions -- one for him and one for his GF.

Shortly after, Simon's manager found the deal suspicious and reached out to an actual team member at Meta, who told them they don't charge for verifications. Before anyone could call out the swindlers, they completely scrubbed themselves from the Internet -- including removal of their IG accounts ... letting the swindlers walk away with the cash.

Simon allegedly swindled countless women out of more than $10 million through Tinder ... ghosting them once he got what he wanted. Since then, he's had "enemies" after him -- most recently a criminal court complaint against him from the true Leviev family, which he has no real part in.

While Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky is desperately hoping the European Union will accept his country, British TV's already welcoming him with open arms by buying his sitcom ... about becoming prez.

Zelensky's comedy, "Servant of the People," is going to be airing on the UK's Channel 4, which purchased the series ... clearly seizing on the Ukrainian leader's worldwide popularity as he stands up to Vladimir Putin's Russian forces.

Channel 4's not wasting any time either -- 'Servant' will reportedly start airing this Sunday night.

The show, which ran for 3 seasons in Ukraine, is about an everyday guy who's elected president and grows into his role as a beloved and heroic leader. Think "Veep" ... minus the heroism.

One scene from the show's already gone viral because it's kinda spot on with real-world events. It shows Zelensky getting a call from German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who informs him he's been accepted into the EU. The prez starts celebrating -- even drops an f-bomb -- but then Merkel says she dialed the wrong number.

Playmate Victoria Fuller is creating a virtual community in the world of NFTs -- using her own artwork -- and she's bringing a bunch of other Playboy models along for the digital ride.

Victoria was Miss January 1996 back in Playboy's heyday, but she tells TMZ there's one thing she wants to make clear now -- "I'm an artist first and foremost," and that's why she's diving into non-fungible tokens ... to take control of her work.

With the Playboy brand shifting its focus and the Mansion's doors closed, Victoria says former Playmates can't connect with fans, or make money the way they did back in the day. She's aiming to change that with her new Rogue Playmate series.

Here's how it works ... every NFT buyer will be airdropped a members-only "golden key" ... which grants them access to the virtual Rogue Mansion -- a digital space to hang out and interact in real-time with the models in the Metaverse.

The images for the NFTs are designed by Victoria and renowned multimedia artist Dutch Bihary. VF says she's most excited about carving out a niche for herself in the male-dominated world of digital art.

The first drop, on March 30, will feature 9,600 generative NFTs, each based on one of the 12 founding members of Rogue Playmates -- among them Lisa Dergan, Renee Tenison, Karen McDougal and Victoria.

Dua Lipa might be on Cloud 9 over her success with her smash hit song, "Levitating," but there's one band that wants to kick in the gravity ... because they're suing her over it.

A band called Artikal Sound System just filed suit against the British pop star -- who's absolutely blown up over the past couple years of the pandemic with the help of her new album, and this track by extension ... one that's dominated the charts and streaming game.

Unfortunately for DL ... these guys are claiming she ripped off the catchy tune from their own reggae song, "Live Your Life," which they dropped in 2017 ... to some notable success.

This is a simple allegation of copyright infringement. According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Artikal simply states ... Dua and her team heard their earworm pre-2020 (when they started writing "Levitating") and trotted out a carbon copy.

There's nothing laid out in their claim to explain *why* they believe that to be the case ... but presumably, that'll get hashed out in court as this thing plays out.

We'll say this ... the two songs do sound awfully similar, especially the chorus. Different lyrics, obviously, but the beat comes across as damn near the same -- and Artikal obviously felt strong enough about this to sue.

In addition to Dua herself, Artikal has named Warner Records (her label) and others as defendants -- and they're asking for any profits they may have made off of "Levitating," plus damages.

Bethenny Frankel is commanding an army of her own -- hundreds of people tasked with saving Ukrainians as Russia invades their homeland, and how she does it is a remarkable lesson in efficiency.

The philanthropist and entrepreneur joined "TMZ Live" Tuesday to talk more about her Bstrong initiative, which is raising millions and sending aid to the war-torn country. Bethenny had announced her partnership with Global Empowerment Mission, pledging $10 mil in food, medical aid and other supplies.

All of that aid's being boxed up in her South Florida warehouse ... but on top of that, Bstrong continues to raise even more cash -- more than $5 million -- to help fleeing Ukrainians at the Poland border relocate. As for how she's pulling off this extraordinary humanitarian effort -- Bethenny tells us it's all about being "efficient and lean," and knowing where help is most needed.

She adds, for anyone looking to donate their cash to her initiative, your money certainly won't go to waste 'cause her team is on the ground working.

It's no surprise Bethenny's among those leading the charge ... she says she's gotten lots of training in relief efforts for natural disasters, like tropical storms in Texas, the Caribbean and the Australian wildfires. She says her history of putting on big productions, with many moving parts, has helped hone her get-it-done mindset.

Colby Covington got himself a sweet pre-fight treat this week ... coppin' a $50,000 diamond chain featuring his nickname, "Chaos," before his massive scrap with Jorge Masvidal.

TMZ Sports has learned ... the MMA star hit up Boodaddy Diamonds to get the piece made prior to his headline fight at UFC 272 -- and the celeb jeweler delivered big time.

We're told the pendant features 14k solid gold, over 15 carats of VVS diamonds, and comes with a crown bale just over the "A" in CHAOS.

We're also told the tennis chain that supports the pendant has 28 carats of VVS diamonds. And, based on the pics of Colby with the chain, it's clear the dude loves it.

The drip is pretty and will look great in the pre-fight leadup ... but one thing seems for sure, his feud with his former friend-turned bitter rival is the exact opposite.

The two mixed martial artists hate each other ... and Covington told us just a few days ago the tension between him and 37-year-old Masvidal is VERY real.

In fact, Covington called it "a blood feud."

Kobe Bryant was one of the most clutch players in the NBA, but he REALLY came through for Chandler Parsons during his rookie year -- 'cause the newly retired hooper says the Black Mamba once paid a $22,000 bill for him at a famous L.A. nightclub!!

Parsons joined former NBA players Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes on their "All The Smoke" podcast this week ... where he shared how the encounter with Bryant went down.

Chandler says Kobe approached him in the fourth quarter of their game against the Lakers in 2012 ... telling the rookie he'd take care of him later that night if his team was spending more time in L.A.

Parsons says he got a text from none other than Kobe himself later that night ... confirming he arranged reservations for Chandler and his teammates at The Supper Club L.A.

When it was time to pay the bill at the spot, Parsons says the waitress walked up and gave him the check ... which came with a hefty price tag at the time.

Parsons admitted on the show he was worried that Bryant stuck him with the bill ... thinking it could have been some sort of rookie hazing into the NBA fraternity.

But, much to his surprise, the waitress told Parsons to "sign for Mr. Bryant" ... 'cause Kobe already took care of the tab.

The coolest part of the story is Parsons says he still has the text messages from Bryant ... proving that Kobe, indeed, did lookout for him after all.

Kim Kardashian's divorce case will be front and center Wednesday as she asks a judge to formally restore her single status, and the wild card is Kanye West, whose lawyers have raised a weird issue about their prenup.

TMZ broke the story ... Kanye's lawyers filed legal docs claiming prenups in California after 2002 are presumed invalid. It's weird because Kanye himself has NEVER suggested their prenup -- which kept almost all their property separate during their marriage -- is anything other than valid.

As for prenups being presumed invalid ... that's not exactly true. The law says a prenup is presumed invalid IF one of the parties who signed it challenges its validity ... Kanye has not done that, so it's unclear why the lawyers are suggesting it.

What's more ... even if Kanye challenged the prenup, he'd have to show either it was not entered voluntarily or it was "unconscionable." Kanye had a lawyer represent him when the prenup was signed, so it's hard to imagine it wasn't voluntary. As for it being unconscionable, Kanye made a fortune during the marriage and all that money is his ... so this doesn't make sense either.

As for the argument Kanye's lawyers are making -- that his social media posts blasting Pete Davidson and Kim are hearsay -- Kanye himself has never denied posting. In fact, he's said the opposite -- that his account was not hacked. Besides, it's kinda irrelevant whether he posted or not ... Kim simply wants the divorce to become official and then work out custody and any property issues that remain.

Our sources say Kanye has not been working with his lawyers, other than to make his position clear he doesn't want a divorce, but the lawyers haven't really produced any evidence that would carry weight in tomorrow's hearing. And, we're told it's highly unlikely he'll show up for the hearing.

Mickey Mantle's last Yankees jersey just netted a small fortune at auction ... raking in a staggering $2.2 MILLION!!!

Officials at Heritage Auctions tell TMZ Sports ... the sale just closed over the weekend, and it was an historic one, because it's now the highest price ever paid for a Mick jersey.

In fact, the price tag was so high, it was hundreds of thousands of dollars more than what experts initially thought it could fetch.

As for why it sold for so much ... well, the 1968 NYY gear is that historic. It not only was the last jersey Mantle wore in his final baseball season -- it was also autographed, and featured a personalized message from the Yankees legend.

The previous record for the Mick jersey was $1.3 million in August 2018.

Adidas has suspended its uniform deal with the Russian National Football (soccer) team ... in direct response to Vladimir Putin's unprovoked attack in Ukraine, resulting in innocent lives being lost.

A spokesperson for the company issued a brief statement addressing the suspension, saying, "Adidas is suspending its partnership with the Russian Football Federation (RFS) with immediate effect."

Adidas -- the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe -- has been a partner with Russia's soccer team since 2008 ... providing the club's official sportswear.

The soccer world has responded to the Ukraine tragedy in a big way ... leveling their own kind of "sanctions" against Russia's soccer program.

The Champions League Final -- originally scheduled to take place in Russia -- moved to France after the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) stripped Saint Petersburg, Russia of its hosting rights.

FIFA then banned Russia from playing in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar ... the biggest sporting event in the world.

Joe Perry doesn't have to dream on when it comes to unloading a prime piece of real estate -- 'cause the dude's got himself a buyer ... and the sale's about to make him a bundle.

The Aerosmith rocker's Massachusetts estate in Duxbury -- consisting of more than 7 acres of land and a 7,181 sq. foot palace of a home -- is currently under contract with someone who's ready to make a deal and claim the property for themselves very soon, we're told.

The price Joe was asking -- a cool $4.5 million. And you can bet JP and his wife, Billie, are cleaning up on profit -- they reportedly snapped up this place back in the late '80s, and have done quite a bit of work to turn it into the paradise you see here.

The 5-bed, 8-bath home is as picturesque as you can imagine a countryside retreat could be -- in addition to the massive number of rooms, there are a ton of amenities too.

For starters, there's a whole detached stone front carriage house that stands alone from the main house, and there's also a 3-stall barn with a tack room ... plus a marsh and pond nearby. So, yeah ... we're talking serious "Green Acres" vibes here.

On top of that, there's a pool, a rooftop garden, 3 fireplaces, a game room, a media room, a state-of-the-art kitchen and incredible vaulted ceilings -- not to mention the fact this place is totally gated and offers the utmost privacy.

And did we bring up the gorgeous nature all around???

"Million Dollar Wheels" star RD Whittington makes tough decisions when celebs are vying for the same car ... and, apologies to Spider-Man, but Kim Kardashian might get first dibs.

RD's the guy who hooks up celebs -- like Kim, Jamie Foxx, Travis Barker, Ye and Tom Holland -- when they want a rare or luxury ride, and he was hit with a doozy of a hypothetical when he joined us Monday on "TMZ Live."

So, suppose Kim K and Holland -- who, BTW, are both featured on his new Discovery+ show -- want the same car, and there's only one available. Well, hypothetically, RD didn't even break a sweat, and quickly explained why -- in that case, specifically -- he'd give Kim the nod.

Of course, if Tom were buying the car as a gift for his GF, Zendaya, well ... that would throw a wrench in RD's plans, but he still had a solution.

"Million Dollar Wheels" shows RD wheeling and dealing with, and for, famous clients -- a job that's gotten way more challenging because now there's a lot more demand than supply.

As we've shown you, tons of celebs are tricking out cars these days -- Kanye West got a $400k custom minivan from RD -- but after 20 years as a luxury car broker, RD says Jamie is the celeb with the best feel for custom whips.

Simon Leviev -- AKA the "Tinder Swindler" -- is now in the crosshairs of the extremely wealthy diamond-titan family that he pretended to be a part of ... they've just filed a criminal court complaint against him.

Guy Ophir -- lawyer for the true Leviev family -- says charges were filed Monday morning in Israel against Simon, telling us justice must be served for the malice brought against the Leviev name.

The legal docs -- obtained by TMZ -- outline the ways in which Simon allegedly took advantage of the family, including most notably changing his name from Shimon Yehuda Hayut to Simon Leviev to give the appearance of wealth ... Simon claimed to be a part of a wealthy family, with ties to the diamond industry.

Ophir tells TMZ ... according to Israel law, only the state can file criminal charges ... but there is an exception to the rule -- in cases of "Malice Defamation" like this one.

In these cases, the person that was hurt can file a private criminal charge and ask for criminal punishment. By using the Leviev family name, Ophir claims Simon committed malice defamation and malice invasion of privacy.

He says this is the first step in an "all-out legal war" that the family's instructed him to unleash against Simon and everyone that will join venture with him -- past, present and future.

Ophir mentions, "The Leviev family intend[s] to donate the money that they will receive to all the victims of his crimes."

Simon Leviev is an expensive habit -- as several European women will attest -- and now he's got nightclubs lining up to hand him up to $20K just to pop bottles and party.

Leviev is now infamous from the Netflix documentary 'Tinder Swindler,' and becoming a household name -- even for negative reasons -- means some hot spot clubs are looking to book him for appearances.

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ … Simon has several offers from clubs in Philly, Boston, Germany and Mexico, and he's at least interested, because his team responded with a laundry list of demands.

We're told he's asking for the $20,000 payday, plus bottle service ... but it doesn't stop there. Leviev's also requesting a private jet, suite at a 5-star hotel, black SUV car service and 2 full-time security guards.

Basically, he wants the same lifestyle his alleged victims say he pretended to have while he duped them into handing over millions of dollars. As we reported, Simon was recently shopping for Ferraris ... so, he's for sure, leaning into the image he portrayed in 'Swindler.'

You'll recall, the doc claims he bilked women out of more than $10 mil by gaining their trust on Tinder.

Ya gotta wonder if he really has Ferrari money now, but if not, he's now trying to get it legitimately ... if the nightclubs will bite.

Ukraine is under attack, and while you might think its President would get the hell outta there ASAP ... Volodymyr Zelenskyy is doing the exact opposite, sticking around to fight.

Ukraine's fearless leader is showing his guts by staying on the ground in and around Kyiv -- the nation's capital -- and making sure his people know ... he isn't abandoning them in a time of crisis.

Case in point ... AP reports that sometime on Friday, Zelenskyy turned down an offer from U.S. officials to flee the country -- apparently with their help -- and instead told them ... "The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride," per sources familiar with the convo.

He later posted a video of himself next to fellow cabinet members in the middle of the night, assuring everyone there he hadn't fled -- contrary to reports, it seems -- and that he was dedicated to staying in Ukraine as long as possible to defend their sovereignty.

VZ threw up yet another video on Saturday morning echoing the same sentiment.

He said, "I am here. We are not putting down arms. We will be defending our country, because our weapon is truth, and our truth is that this is our land, our country, our children, and we will defend all of this."

BTW, reports say the Ukrainians are actually holding their own in the battle -- and, in some cases, are actually fending off Russian soldiers pretty well with the forces they currently have.

Zelenskyy further addressed Ukrainians Saturday with some encouraging news -- saying he'd gotten reassurance from neighboring countries that they'd help feed oil to Ukraine during this fight ... and not just that, but he also announced Russia had, in fact, been nixed from SWIFT.

SWIFT is an international banking communications system that Russia -- and a ton of other countries -- rely on to talk finance and money ... and removing them will further isolate Putin beyond sanctions already in place, with more consequences likely to follow.

It also sounds like President Zelenskyy has been on the horn nonstop with Western allies -- many of whom, including the U.S., are vowing support via resources and in some cases ... on-the-ground troops if needed.

It's a tricky situation, because a misstep here can unleash an all-out world war -- but all things considered ... Zelenskyy is navigating this as best as possible, and in many cases ... being hailed a hero for leading his people through a turbulent situation.

Here's the crazy part about Zelenskyy's tenure -- the guy is actually a comedian/TV star who actually played the Ukrainian Prez on his own show years before he manifested that into the real thing. He's been likened to Jon Stewart with his biting satire ... and now, he leads a war-torn nation in real life.

Kim Kardashian is flying high these days, being a billionaire and such, and she's taken her massive wealth to a new level by plunking down more than $95 mil on a new private jet.

Kim flew back to L.A. from Milan Friday in a G65OER jet ... our sources confirm she had it built from scratch. When we say $95M, that's the base price. We're guessing cashmere walls are extra.

She's been waiting a year for completion, and we gotta say ... it's pretty damn awesome. The custom interior and exterior are pained a Créme color. The cabin is laced with cashmere finishes and leather seats. It's the same color scheme as her home. She designed the interior with the help of Tommy Clements and Waldo Fernandez. BTW ... Fernandez also designed Travis Barker's home, with an assist from Kourtney.

It's baller ... the placemats and plates are the same as the ones she has at home. Not to mention, we're told guests who board are given a pair of SKIMS slippers and pajamas for a cozy trip.

It seats 18, so make your reservations now.

As for the total price ... we've made some calls and after the customizations, it could have easily set her back around $150 MILLION! But remember ... she's a billionaire.

The plane is the same type as the one owned by Jeff Bezos.