Six women have launched a major lawsuit against the popular dating app Hinge, accusing the platform of a catastrophic safety failure after it allegedly ignored warnings and failed to ban Colorado's most prolific rapist.
A Serial Predator on Dating Apps
The legal action targets Hinge and its parent company, Match Group. It centres on the actions of Dr Stephen Matthews, a former cardiologist sentenced in October 2024 to 158 years in prison. A jury found him guilty of 35 counts related to drugging and sexually assaulting at least 11 women he met on dating apps between 2019 and 2023.
Matthews was stripped of his medical licence in March 2025, six months after his conviction. The new lawsuit, filed in Denver County District Court, claims Hinge was first notified that Matthews was drugging and raping women as early as September 2020.
Repeated Warnings and Alleged Inaction
According to the legal complaint, one victim reported to Hinge in September 2020 that she had woken up naked on Matthews's floor after having just one drink on their first date. A hospital examination confirmed she had been sexually assaulted.
The lawsuit states that Hinge's Trust & Safety team acknowledged the report and told the victim Matthews had been banned. However, just three months later, in January 2021, the app allegedly recommended Matthews to the same woman as a potential match again.
When she reported this, Hinge again claimed he was 'permanently banned' and that 'additional steps' had been taken. Despite these assurances, the legal filing alleges Matthews remained active on both Hinge and Tinder for three more years, using the platforms to carry out a spree of assaults across Denver.
Shockingly, the suit claims he used his real name, the same photographs, job description, and even the same linked phone number on new profiles after being reported.
Victims Speak Out on Platform Failures
Six anonymised victims are represented in the lawsuit. Five met Matthews on Hinge and one on Tinder. All allege he drugged and raped them.
One victim, referred to only as Alexa, said in a statement: "I thought I was safe. I thought he was who he said he was." She described waking up "in a nightmare" with injuries she will never forget. "Hinge had the chance to stop him. Hinge could have protected us," she added.
Another victim, Allie, told media last year that a date with Matthews in January 2023 was "the scariest day of my life". She recalled being given a drink at his home, feeling ill, and being placed in a headlock before managing to escape.
The legal team for the plaintiffs argues this was not a technological glitch but a corporate choice. Attorney Carrie Goldberg stated: "Hinge had explicit notice in 2020 that Matthews drugged and raped a woman he met on the app... This was not a mystery. This was a corporate choice, and our clients paid the price."
Corporate Response and Lasting Impact
A Match Group spokesperson told the Daily Mail: "Any report of sexual assault or violence is heartbreaking and deeply concerning. Safety is foundational to the trust our users place in us... We are committed to strengthening our safety efforts."
The lawsuit seeks to force change at the company. Another lawyer for the plaintiffs, Dan Gerash, said: "None of this was unpredictable or invisible. Hinge had the data, the signals, and the responsibility to intervene. Hinge failed."
Matthews was finally arrested in March 2023 after a victim went to the police. Investigators then found a succession of women with identical stories of dates, drinks, and memory loss. His access to the apps only ceased upon his arrest.
