Real estate developer and former gubernatorial candidate Stephen Cloobeck is facing felony charges for allegedly threatening victims in his fiancee\u2019s criminal case in which she\u2019s accused of stealing from wealthy men across Los Angeles County.<\/p>\n
Cloobeck, 64, was arrested on Tuesday before 11 a.m. and booked at the West Hollywood station on suspicion of attempting to prevent or dissuade witnesses from testifying. He was freed that afternoon after posting $300,000 bail, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff\u2019s Department jail booking records. <\/p>\n
Model and social media influencer Adva Lavie<\/a>, 29, who is engaged to Cloobeck, is accused of burglarizing the homes of wealthy older men and younger women she\u2019d met online. <\/p>\n Cloobeck could not immediately be reached for comment, but his attorney denied the allegations on his behalf.<\/p>\n \u201cThese charges are false and we look forward to our day in court,\u201d attorney Elias Dabaie said in a statement to The Times. <\/p>\n A felony arrest warrant filed in Los Angeles Superior Court alleges that Cloobeck tried to prevent three male victims from giving testimony in the case. Prosecutors allege in the document that the offenses were \u201ccommitted by force and an express and implied threat of force and violence upon a victim.\u201d <\/p>\n Cloobeck is also facing a misdemeanor count for annoying phone calls after he allegedly contacted Lavie\u2019s attorney, Lou Shapiro, swore at him and threatened him, his property and members of his family, according to a criminal complaint.<\/p>\n Shapiro declined to comment on the situation when reached by The Times on Wednesday. <\/p>\n Prosecutors allege that from 2023 to 2025, Lavie, who is also known as Mia Ventura, used dating apps and cultivated relationships to burglarize and steal from victims in Westlake Village, West Hollywood, Los Angeles and Beverly Hills. <\/p>\n Lavie allegedly posed as a girlfriend and travel companion to gain access to victims\u2019 homes and then stole cash, gold and designer items, prosecutors said.<\/p>\n She has pleaded not guilty to two counts of unauthorized use of personal identifying information, two counts of grand theft, one count of first-degree residential burglary with person present and one count of first-degree residential burglary, all felonies. <\/p>\n If convicted of all charges, Lavie faces up to 11 years and eight months in state prison.<\/p>\n This isn\u2019t the first time Cloobeck has been involved in scandal related to his dating life.<\/p>\n At the end of his 22-year marriage, Cloobeck became involved with Stefanie Gurzanski, an OnlyFans model who he later sued in 2021 alleging fraud. <\/p>\n The lawsuit alleged she took \u201cadvantage of Cloobeck\u2019s generosity, over the course of their relationship.\u201d Cloobeck said he spent about $1.3 million purchasing Gurzanski designer bags, watches, clothing, shoes and treating her to luxurious meals with caviar, crab legs, premium champagne and tequila in their five-month courtship. <\/p>\n Gurzanski denied the allegations and her lawyers alleged in court papers she was \u201cincessantly harassed\u201d by Cloobeck.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is really simple. I got extorted. I never get extorted. I found out that person extorted five other people,\u201d Cloobeck told The Times in a prior interview. \u201cGuess what? No one gets extorted on my watch when I\u2019m in charge, because I\u2019m principled, I fight.\u201d<\/p>\n For a short time last year, Cloobeck was among the crowded field running for state governor.<\/p>\n