The criminal case against a Los Angeles model and social media influencer accused of burglarizing the homes of men she met on a dating app can proceed to trial, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge ruled Tuesday.
Adva Lavie, 28, is charged with two counts of grand theft; one count of first-degree residential burglary with person present and one count of first-degree residential burglary. She’s scheduled to be arraigned on April 6 and is currently out on bail with an ankle monitor. She has been ordered to stay away from her alleged victims.
“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,” L.A. County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman said in a news release. “Her ability to deceptively influence others, whether in person or online, has now come to an end. Our office is committed to holding accountable anyone who uses deception and manipulation to prey on others.”
Between 2023 and 2025, Lavie allegedly used dating apps and developed relationships to steal from wealthy older men and younger women in Westlake Village, West Hollywood, Los Angeles and Beverly Hills, according to the release.
Lavie allegedly posed as their girlfriend and stole cash, gold and high-end designer items from their homes, authorities say. If convicted, she could get 11 years and eight months in prison.
The model first won international attention in October, when the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department released a special bulletin with Lavie’s photo and physical description — 5 feet 7 and 104 pounds — and encouraged possible victims to contact sheriff’s detectives.
Lavie — who authorities say also goes by the names Mia Ventura, Shoshana and Shana — had allegedly used dating apps and social media platforms to target older men across the county for theft. Investigators said that after posing as a girlfriend or companion, Lavie would burglarize the men’s homes.
Her charges, according to investigators, stem from incidents involving five alleged victims.
After the Sheriff’s Department released its initial bulletin, more than 10 other potential victims have come forward with allegations, Det. Angela Lopez told The Times last year. Alleged victims have also filed police reports against Lavie in Hermosa Beach; Henderson, Nev.; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; as well as in France and Italy.
In addition to older men she met online, Lavie allegedly stole from younger men and women, as well as businesses, according to Lopez. Lavie would allegedly target higher-end items, such as designer clothing and purses.
“It wasn’t just elderly men,” Lopez said. “It evolved to … basically anyone she had an opportunity to steal from. She would steal from, whether it was male, female, business or whatnot.”
The post L.A. model lured victims through dating apps then stole from them, prosecutors say. Now she’s headed to trial. appeared first on Los Angeles Times.
