Model charged with scamming victims held without bail
VAN NUYS, Calif. (KESQ) – A model and social media influencer who was already facing trial on six felony counts, including burglary and grand theft, involving alleged victims that she met through dating apps, was ordered today to remain jailed without bail following her arrest on a similar case in Indio.
Adva Lavie, 29, was arrested about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday by Beverly Hills police, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s online jail records.
Lavie made a brief appearance in Van Nuys Superior Court Friday, when she was ordered to remain jailed without bail.
One of her attorneys, Jeremy Lessem, told reporters outside court the defense may file a motion to have Lavie placed in a mental health diversion program. She is due back in court Aug. 10.
Lavie had been free on bail, but she was arrested this week pursuant to a warrant issued in Riverside County, where she was charged with grand theft. According to the Indio Police Department, a man invited Lavie to his home and attend the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in April of last year. The man later accused her of stealing an $8,600 Rolex watch, $700 Louis Vuitton Aviator glasses and an $1,800 Louis Vuitton cardholder wallet, according to an arrest warrant declaration filed by IPD.
In March, Lavie, who also goes by the name Mia Ventura, was ordered to stand trial in Los Angeles County on two counts each of grand theft and unauthorized use of personal identifying information, along with one count each of first-degree residential burglary and first-degree residential burglary with a person present, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors say Lavie used dating apps and cultivated relationships to victimize wealthy older men and younger women in Westlake Village, West Hollywood, Los Angeles and Beverly Hills from 2023 to 2025. They say she posed as a girlfriend and travel companion to gain access to the victims’ homes and then allegedly stole cash, gold and high-end designer items.
Lavie had been free but with an ankle-monitoring device and was been ordered to stay away from the alleged victims, according to the District Attorney’s Office. She had allegedly removed the monitoring device prior to her arrest this week.
Lavie was engaged to billionaire and former gubernatorial candidate Stephen Cloobeck, who was arrested in West Hollywood in May for allegedly trying to dissuade multiple people from testifying in a criminal case against his fiance.
Cloobeck, a real estate magnate who dropped his bid for governor late last year and threw his support behind now-disgraced former Rep. Eric Swalwell, was arrested and freed on $300,000 bond, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department online inmate records.
Cloobeck, 64, was charged on April 28 with two felony counts of attempting to prevent or dissuade a witness/victim from attending a proceeding by force or threat, and one felony count of preventing or dissuading a witness or victim from attending or testifying at a trial or proceeding.
He was also charged with a misdemeanor count of annoying telephone calls — allegedly directed at the attorney of one of the alleged victims in his fiancee’s case.
The victims named in the criminal complaint against Cloobeck are all alleged victims in his fiance’ s case.
Cloobeck was due in a Van Nuys courtroom for arraignment Aug. 7, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Lavie was charged last year with stealing money and other property from people she met through dating apps — including wealthy older men and some younger women.
According to prosecutors, she would pose as a girlfriend and travel companion to gain access to the alleged victims’ homes, then would steal cash, gold and other high-end designer items.
Cloobeck had been closely tied with Swalwell, D-Dublin, who suspended his gubernatorial campaign and resigned from Congress after a woman alleged he drugged her and sexually assaulted her in a West Hollywood hotel in 2018. Swalwell has denied her account and other allegations of sexual misconduct.
Swalwell had been a house guest of Cloobeck until the latest allegation surfaced, when Cloobeck withdrew his financial backing of the disgraced politician, according to published reports.
Cloobeck and Lavie had publicly announced plans to get married in Jerusalem. However, Lavie is barred from leaving the state due to her pending criminal case.
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