Social media influencer Adva Lavie has been found presently competent to stand trial on criminal charges alleging she seduced and stole from wealthy suitors, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Maria Cavalluzzi announced Friday.
Mental Health Evaluation Resumes Court Proceedings
Psychiatrist Dr. Phani Tumu evaluated the 29-year-old defendant and determined she is presently competent to face the court. Lavie was not present for Friday’s hearing in the Hollywood court.
Defense attorneys, who previously argued that their client was not competent to stand trial, ultimately agreed with the determination given the passage of time. Jeremy Lessem, one of Lavie’s criminal attorneys, stated to abc7.com that his client’s mental health symptoms have improved over the past month and confirmed agreement with the current competence finding.
Lavie, who also uses the names Mia Ventura, Shoshana, and Shana, has pleaded not guilty to the charges against her. She has remained in the Los Angeles County Jail since July following an arrest at a Beverly Hills restaurant for missing her court-assigned ankle monitor.
Dating App Burglaries and Ketamine Investigation
Prosecutors charged Lavie with two counts of grand theft and two counts of first-degree residential burglary spanning incidents between 2023 and 2025 across Los Angeles County. According to charging documents, the influencer used dating apps to target wealthy older men and younger women in Westlake Village, West Hollywood, Los Angeles, and Beverly Hills.
The Los Angeles Police Department sought a search warrant for her phone in August after a Beverly Hills police detective spotted Lavie taking selfies at the French Mediterranean restaurant Azur while out on bail.
LAPD Det. Andrea Marsh wrote in the warrant affidavit that Beverly Hills Police Detective Steve Own was familiar with Lavie because he was investigating the alleged ketamine drugging of Cloobeck. Cloobeck, a 64-year-old real estate developer and one-time California gubernatorial candidate, filed a report with Beverly Hills police, though the department declined to comment on the active drug investigation. Cloobeck’s attorney declined to comment on the matter.
Prior Arrests and Legal Complications
The LAPD warrant also details an incident during Lavie’s time out on bail last year when she traveled to the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Indio police stated she stole an $8,600 Rolex, $700 Louis Vuitton sunglasses, a $700 Louis Vuitton card holder, and nearly $2,000 in cash before driving off in the victim’s Cybertruck.
When Detective Own spotted Lavie at the restaurant without her ankle monitor, tracking data confirmed her device’s location at the nearby Peninsula Hotel, leading to her arrest. Following that apprehension, defense attorneys unsuccessfully pursued mental health diversion. Prosecutors subsequently played jailhouse recordings during a hearing where Lavie bragged about exploiting Cloobeck.
Upcoming Court Date Set for October
With the competency evaluation resolved, the legal proceedings return to the Van Nuys courthouse. Lavie’s next court appearance is scheduled for October 12, where she will face the ongoing felony counts of theft and burglary.
