The case of former Penthouse and Playboy model Adva Levie has taken a dark and disturbing turn, with authorities now revealing that the 29-year-old social media influencer, who allegedly used dating apps to rob wealthy older men, is back behind bars after violating the terms of her release, and new details have emerged linking her billionaire ex-fiancé to a witness tampering scheme that has stunned law enforcement and legal experts alike.
Levie, who also goes by the name Mia Ventura, was initially arrested earlier this year and charged with six felony counts in Los Angeles County, including two counts of unauthorized use of personal identifying information, two counts of grand theft, one count of first-degree residential burglary, and one count of first-degree residential burglary with a person present. She entered a not guilty plea and was released on bond with an ankle monitor, but that freedom was short-lived. In late July, deputies arrested her again on a warrant out of Riverside County, where she now faces a grand theft charge stemming from an alleged incident involving a man who invited her to his home to attend the Coachella music festival last year.
According to court documents, the man claims Levie stole an $8,600 Rolex watch, a pair of $700 Louis Vuitton glasses, and an $1,800 Louis Vuitton card holder wallet.
The situation escalated further when prosecutors revealed that Levie was dating a 78-year-old man whom she allegedly robbed blind. The district attorney’s office claims she took more than $17,000 in cash, $100,000 in designer clothes, and gold coins worth over $4,000. Detectives say she later posted a TikTok video giving an apartment tour where some of the stolen clothing could allegedly be seen in her closet.
In a particularly brazen move, Levie reportedly told the same elderly man that her mother had died and that she needed $25,000 to cover funeral expenses. She then traveled to her home country of Israel, where she was seen with her mother, who was very much alive. The ankle monitor she was supposed to be wearing?
According to the district attorney’s office, she took it off, leading to a misdemeanor violation of a court order on top of her other charges.
Levie’s legal team attempted to have her placed in a diversion program, arguing that she was a victim of physical and sexual 𝓪𝓫𝓾𝓼𝓮, that she had been 𝒔𝒆𝒙 trafficked, and that she suffers from PTSD. They submitted reports from mental health experts to support their case, but the judge questioned Levie’s truthfulness. The paperwork reportedly claimed that each of Levie’s alleged victims had given her a large amount of drugs and alcohol, but the judge called that assertion false, stating it was simply not true.
The court ruled that Levie’s mental state played no role in her alleged crimes, a significant defeat for the defense. The judge also denied her bond after learning that Levie had been recorded on a jail phone call talking about fleeing to Israel. During her hearing, Levie appeared distressed, gesturing to friends who had come to show their support and even turning to the gallery as she left to say, Thank you for coming.
I love you.
Now, a new twist has emerged that has captivated the public and legal observers. Levie’s former fiancé, 64-year-old real estate billionaire Stephen Kubeck, has been arrested and charged with three counts of attempting to dissuade a witness from testifying and one count of harassment for making annoying phone calls. Kubeck, a prominent figure in California who briefly ran for governor before dropping out last year, allegedly called an attorney, swore at him, threatened him, his property, and his family.
Court documents indicate that Kubeck tried to convince three male victims not to testify against Adva Levie. He entered a not guilty plea and was released on a $300,000 bond. An attorney for Kubeck has denied all allegations.
The California Post reports that Levie had been living in Kubeck’s multi-million dollar mansion, but she moved out and the engagement was called off after her arrest. Kubeck is also allegedly no longer paying her legal fees.
Levie faces up to 11 years in prison if convicted of the theft charges in Los Angeles County. Former federal prosecutor Nema Romani, a Los Angeles criminal law expert, weighed in on the case, noting that the multiple jurisdictions involved will likely see Los Angeles County take the lead because of the sheer number of victims. Romani explained that diversion programs are typically reserved for 𝒹𝓇𝓊𝑔 or alcohol-related offenses, not theft cases involving multiple victims and a pattern of deception.
The judge’s rejection of the diversion request was based on the lack of a causal connection between Levie’s alleged PTSD and her criminal behavior, as well as her failure to comply with the terms of her release, including removing her ankle monitor. Romani emphasized that Levie’s defense strategy, which portrayed her as a victim of 𝓪𝓫𝓾𝓼𝓮, was undermined by recorded jail calls in which she spoke lovingly to her ex-husband, Eden Ives, using pet names and saying I love you. Those calls also revealed discussions about potentially fleeing to Israel, which further damaged her credibility.
Romani predicted that Levie will likely have to plead guilty, given the overwhelming evidence against her, including victim after victim telling the same story of being taken advantage of by a young woman they met on dating apps. The most serious charge, first-degree residential burglary with a person present, carries a potential sentence of up to six years, with additional time for the lesser counts adding up to the 11-year maximum. Romani noted that Levie’s alleged behavior, including taking off her ankle monitor multiple times despite being admonished by the judge, suggests she has never faced consequences for her actions and may have benefited from what he called pretty girl privilege.
However, he believes her luck has run out and that she will remain in custody until she either pleads guilty or is convicted by a jury.
The charges against Kubeck have added another layer of complexity to the case. Romani described it as a fascinating parallel case, noting that Kubeck’s alleged attempts to dissuade witnesses from testifying could lead to Levie cooperating with prosecutors in exchange for a reduced sentence. Levie has reportedly indicated that she wants to testify against Kubeck in the witness tampering case, which would likely involve her pleading guilty and putting her sentencing on hold while she provides testimony.
Romani explained that such cooperation is common in criminal cases, as defendants often seek to save themselves by flipping on others. He fully expects Levie to do so, given her apparent lack of loyalty to the men she has been involved with.
The case has drawn widespread attention because of Levie’s background as a glamorous model who appeared on the covers of Playboy and Penthouse, as well as the high-profile nature of her alleged victims, including Kubeck. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department issued a special bulletin about Levie last year, warning that she had been involved in a series of residential burglaries throughout the county, targeting older men by posing as a girlfriend or companion on social media dating platforms. The bulletin included photos of two cars she was known to drive, a black Porsche SUV and a white Mercedes-Benz sedan.
Investigators across Southern California suspect that Levie has been using dating apps to meet up with older, wealthier men with the alleged motive of stealing luxury items from their homes, and that she has been doing this for years.
The disturbing turn in the case has left many questioning how Levie was able to evade detection for so long and what drove her to allegedly target vulnerable men. Romani noted that the case is a classic example of a con artist using charm and appearance to manipulate others, but he warned that Levie’s days of getting away with it are over. With multiple victims, recorded jail calls, and a billionaire ex-fiancé facing his own legal troubles, the evidence against her is mounting.
The judge’s decision to deny bail and reject the diversion program signals that the court is taking the allegations seriously, and Levie now faces the prospect of a lengthy prison sentence. As the legal proceedings continue, the public will be watching closely to see how this extraordinary case unfolds, with new details emerging almost daily about the extent of Levie’s alleged crimes and the involvement of those around her.
