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A Los Angeles social media influencer accused of befriending affluent targets and then stealing from them is back in custody after prosecutors said she allegedly cut off her court-ordered ankle monitor while awaiting trial.
Adva Lavie, 28, who is also known as Mia Ventura, was arrested Tuesday night in Beverly Hills, only months after she had been released on electronic monitoring in connection with felony burglary allegations.
According to prosecutors, Lavie breached the terms of her release by allegedly removing the monitoring device she was required to wear. The judge overseeing the case revoked her release, ordered her jailed without bail, and set a bail review hearing for Friday in Van Nuys.
Court documents further indicate that Lavie was also taken into custody on an outstanding warrant out of Riverside County tied to a separate grand theft case.
Adva Lavie, also known as Mia Ventura, appears in a special bulletin issued by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. (Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department)
Recently obtained court filings show that Riverside County prosecutors charged Lavie in April with felony grand theft, accusing her of stealing more than $11,000 worth of luxury goods during the 2025 Coachella Music Festival.
Prosecutors said Lavie did not appear for her scheduled arraignment in May, leading a judge to issue a $20,000 warrant for her arrest. As of Thursday afternoon, she had not been booked into Riverside County custody, and no in-custody arraignment date had been placed on the calendar.
Adva Lavie, also known as Mia Ventura, is shown in a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department special bulletin alongside vehicles authorities said were linked to a residential burglary series targeting victims through dating apps. (Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department)
The Riverside case centers on allegations Lavie stole an approximately $8,600 Rolex watch, Louis Vuitton Aviator sunglasses valued at about $700 and a Louis Vuitton cardholder worth about $1,800 from a man she attended Coachella with.
Investigators said the man invited Lavie to stay with him at an Airbnb in Indio during Coachella weekend. After the pair argued, she allegedly helped herself to the luxury items from his unlocked Tesla Cybertruck before leaving.
According to an arrest warrant, surveillance cameras at the Airbnb captured the alleged theft, and detectives later identified Lavie from the video. Investigators also noted she was a suspect in another theft reported at the same property.
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Adva Lavie, also known as Mia Ventura, in modeling photos. (Paul Archuleta/Getty Images for Teatro Live; Paul Archuleta/Getty Images)
Lavie’s latest arrest comes nearly four months after Los Angeles County prosecutors accused her of carrying out a dating app burglary spree targeting wealthy victims across Southern California.
Prosecutors allege Lavie spent years using dating apps and “Sugar Daddy” websites to build relationships with wealthy older men and younger women before posing as a girlfriend or travel companion to gain access to their homes.
Adva Lavie, also known as Mia Ventura, in red carpet and event photos. (Paul Archuleta/Getty Images; Paul Archuleta/Getty Images for Teatro Live; Paul Archuleta/Getty Images for Teatro)
Once inside, authorities said, she stole cash, gold, credit cards and luxury designer items from victims in Westlake Village, West Hollywood, Los Angeles and Beverly Hills.
Lavie has pleaded not guilty to six felony charges, including two counts of grand theft, two counts of first-degree residential burglary and two counts of unauthorized use of personal identifying information. She was released from custody on an electronic ankle monitor before her latest arrest.
When announcing the case in March, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said prosecutors intended to prove Lavie exploited the trust she built through online relationships.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman speaks at a news conference alongside Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna June 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. (KTTV)
“At her trial, we will prove beyond a reasonable doubt that this defendant exploited trust built through online relationships to gain access to victims’ homes and steal from them,” Hochman said. “Her ability to deceptively influence others, whether in person or online, has now come to an end.”
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department previously released a public bulletin identifying Lavie as the suspect in the dating app burglary investigation and published photographs of luxury vehicles investigators said she drove, including a white Mercedes-Benz coupe and a black Porsche SUV.
Fox 11 Los Angeles previously reported that Lavie’s fiancé, billionaire entrepreneur Stephen Cloobeck, was arrested on separate felony charges alleging he attempted to dissuade witnesses from testifying against her.
If convicted on all six felony counts in the Los Angeles County case, Lavie faces up to 11 years and eight months in state prison.




