A Los Angeles Superior Court judge has denied a request for influencer Adva Lavie to be diverted into mental health treatment, questioning her truthfulness and finding her mental state played no role in the alleged crimes.
Lavie, 29, is accused of using sugar daddy and dating sites to lure wealthy men and younger women in upscale LA enclaves before allegedly stealing luxury goods and vehicles. She faces two counts of grand theft and two counts of first-degree residential burglary from incidents in LA County. She has pleaded not guilty and could face more than 11 years in prison.
The judge also denied her bail, noting she discussed on a jail call fleeing to her native Israel.
The Defense Argument
Lavie’s attorneys sought a diversion program, arguing she was a victim of physical and sexual abuse, had been sex trafficked, and had extensive post-traumatic stress disorder. Her attorney told the judge her mental health history showed she was abused by her father, her first sexual experience was a rape, and her ex-husband was abusive.
“She was on sugar daddy websites where the men paid for control,” her attorney said.
The Judge’s Ruling
After reviewing extensive mental health examinations, Judge Diego H. Edber questioned Lavie’s truthfulness. The judge said the defense psychologists relied on Lavie’s accounts, but there was little documentation to support her mental health claims and back her allegations of abuse and violence.
The judge found her mental state played no role in the alleged crimes.
New Charges and Witness Tampering
The case garnered further attention when billionaire Stephen Cloobeck — a one-time California gubernatorial candidate — was charged with witness tampering to help Lavie. He has pleaded not guilty.
Lavie was arrested again last week after a Riverside County caper in which she allegedly stole a man’s Rolex and Louis Vuitton accessories and drove off in his Tesla Cybertruck. During that arrest, Beverly Hills officers learned she had removed her court-ordered GPS monitoring ankle bracelet.
Prosecutors said there is a new pending investigation with other potential victims. “Even while incarcerated, she cannot refrain from scheming,” the prosecutor told the judge.
The Alleged Scheme
Lavie is accused of luring wealthy older men and younger women into dates before robbing, stealing from, and extorting them in Westlake Village, West Hollywood, and Beverly Hills. Detectives learned of several additional burglaries possibly linked to Lavie after the Sheriff’s Department released a bulletin calling for other possible victims to come forward.
The Bottom Line
A Los Angeles judge has denied mental health diversion for influencer Adva Lavie, who is accused of stealing luxury items from wealthy men she met on dating apps. The judge questioned her truthfulness and found her mental state unrelated to the alleged crimes. Lavie faces new charges in Riverside County, and her former fiancé, billionaire Stephen Cloobeck, has been charged with witness tampering. She remains jailed without bail.
