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Six Survivors Sue Match Group, Say Hinge and Tinder Recommended Convicted Rapist Despite Reports

Plaintiffs frame the case as a failure of safety systems that let a convicted rapist persist on the platforms.

Overview

  • Six women filed a civil lawsuit in Denver against Match Group, Hinge, Tinder, IAC and Stephen Matthews, alleging the apps continued recommending him after warnings.
  • The complaint says Hinge received a sexual assault report about Matthews in September 2020 and still surfaced his profile to the same user in January 2021.
  • Plaintiffs claim defective safety design, including loss of reporting options after unmatching and weak cross-platform bans that allowed profile reuse.
  • Matthews, a Denver cardiologist, was arrested in 2023 and in October 2024 was convicted on multiple counts, receiving a 158-years-to-life sentence.
  • Match Group says safety is foundational and cites a suite of tools and ongoing investments, while plaintiffs’ counsel are inviting other survivors to contact them.