Playboy Model's Secret Schemes Land Her Behind Bars: Cops

A former model who appeared in Playboy. and Penthouse is now having to pose for. a mug shot after Los Angeles officials. say she lured older men out on dates and. then robbed them. That's the accusation. after months of encouraging Southern. Californians to be on the lookout for. her, the DA now says she'll finally have. to answer for her alleged crimes. Welcome to Sidebar presented by Law &. Crime. I'm Jesse Weber.

All right, so we first told you about. 28-year-old Audva Levie, who sometimes. uses the stage name Mia Ventura, last. fall. Now, Los Angeles County law. enforcement apparently put out a. bulletin with what appears to be her. driver's license photo, as well as these. details about the car she drove, a black. Porsche SUV, a white Mercedes-Benz. sedan, but now we're getting new details. from the Los Angeles County District. Attorney's Office about Levie's alleged. crimes and when she could face a judge. and jury. So, according to the DA's.

office, between 2023 and 2025, Levie is. accused of using dating apps to. cultivate relationships with wealthy. older men and younger women all in the. Westlake Village, West Hollywood, Los. Angeles, and Beverly Hills areas, that. she allegedly gained access to their. homes by posing as a girlfriend or a. travel companion, and then she's accused. of stealing cash and gold and high-end. designer items. So, she has been charged. with six felony counts right now. Two.

counts of unauthorized use of personal. identifying information, two counts of. grand theft, one count of first-degree. residential burglary, one count of. first-degree residential burglary with. person present. Los Angeles DA Nathan. Hochman said in a statement, quote, "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. 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. And according to the DA's office, Leviev. faces up to 11 years 8 months in state. prison if she's convicted on all those. counts. So, it's really the stakes are. high. She's entered a not guilty plea. She's scheduled to be arraigned at the. uh Van Nuys courthouse on April 6th. For. now, she's out of custody with an ankle. monitor. This is per the court docket. She's been ordered to stay away from the. alleged victims in this case. And.

apparently, it's not just Southern. California where Leviev is accused of. running her schemes. According to. reporting from ABC 7, police reports. have been filed against Leviev in. Nevada, Florida, France, Italy. One of. the first people to speak publicly about. Leviev's alleged sticky fingers was a. podcaster named Michael Sartain, host of. Access Vegas. He told Los Angeles news. outlet KTLA that Leviev was a guest of. an episode on an episode of his show, and at some point, according to him, Leviev went into the green room and.

stole the credit cards and the cash from. the purses of all the then female. panelists. She then apparently returns. to be part of the panel, and that she. was, quote, cool as a cucumber. Told ABC. 7, quote, she basically sits there for. 90 minutes having stolen everyone's. credit cards and everyone's cash out of. their purses in the green room, just the. female guests, and just sat there cool. as a cucumber, just talking about the. election while she had everyone's stuff. in her purse just sitting right behind. her.

Now, one of the women who was allegedly. victimized told KTLA that Leviev tried. to charge multiple things to her stolen. American Express credit card, including. an expensive hair appointment at a. Beverly Hills salon. The victim did some. investigating, apparently, on her own. and says she found out that Leviev had. allegedly booked the appointment under. the name Mia Ventura. Another alleged. victim spoke with the Los Angeles Times. back in December about her experiences. with LaVie, quote, Amber Caris Bassette, an international lingerie and swimwear.

model, she told the Times that LaVie. befriended her, invited her on an. all-expenses-paid trip to Ibiza, but. that all-expenses-paid part turned out. to be too good to be true because. Bassette claims that when she got to the. hotel, it wasn't paid for. So, she had. to pay more than $2,000 to check in. And. then when LaVie shows up, she was being. followed by a taxi driver who was. demanding to be paid. Now, LaVie apparently told Bassette that. her American Express wasn't working in. Europe, so Bassette would have to pay.

the driver. From there, Bassette claims. they would be out all night trying to. attract older men to pay for their food. and the drinks. She also claims that. LaVie would take photos of men's credit. cards. Quote, "I thought this trip was a. girls' trip to make content, but for. LaVie, the whole trip was just to use me. to attract her next victims. All she. wanted to do was hunt for rich, older. men." Hey, by the way, we're well into. 2026 and I will tell you, it feels like. each day AI is getting more efficient at. our jobs, right? So, the question is, are you just going to watch this shift.

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up to date. Now, Lavi herself has apparently. responded to some of the allegations. against her. The Daily Mail reached out. to her after that special bulletin was. released, and she said that she hadn't. heard about the accusations until they. called. According to the Daily Mail, Lavi told them over the phone, "I think. when you probably hang out with someone. really powerful and someone really. connected, if you piss them off, it's. problematic because they can really. bleep you over." But, when the Daily. Mail pushed for more details about this. apparent scheme, she reportedly hung up. on them. So, what else do we know about her? What.

else do we know about Lavi? Well, she's. appeared on the cover of Playboy, was. chosen as the Penthouse Pet of the Month. in July of 2023. 2022, a news release. from Clubhouse Media Group announced. that she was joining Honey Drip, which. is kind of a rival to OnlyFans. And. according to that release, Lavi is from. Israel, she served in the IDF for 2. years. After her service, she worked as. a flight attendant. This is again, according to Clubhouse Media Group. But, the COVID-19 pandemic grounded planes. worldwide, and she was laid off. And the release says that she shifted. her focus to growing her social media.

following and working as a model. What. do we make of this? What can we expect? Philip DeBais with us, former LA County. Deputy Public Defender. Thank you so. much for taking the time, sir. It's good. to see you. Good morning, Jesse. How are you? Good. What do we make of these charges? Which. were the ones if you are defending her, you say, "These are the ones I want to. focus on the most. These This is the one. that I'm concerned about the most." Or. you say, "They group them all together, all or nothing.". Well, legally, I think the most serious. charge is the first-degree residential.

burglary for several reasons. Number. one, it can carry up to 6 years in state. prison, and you'd have to serve 85% of it. Number two, she is not an American. citizen. And under federal immigration. law, it could be deemed to be an. aggravated felony. In other words, a. crime of violence, and it would render. her deportable. So, she would be on a. one-way slow boat back to Tel Aviv. So, as a criminal defense attorney, we have.

to not only protect their criminal legal. interests under due process, but there's. an extra obligation and an extra duty to. protect their immigration status. So, we. have to do whatever we can to allow them. to remain in the country. Now, by the way, according to the court. docket, she has hired private counsel to. defend her, so it doesn't appear that. she's. going to be using a public defender, but. either way, what are the first steps you. would take in building a defense? Because I do wonder, what is the. evidence they have against her, right?

Do you think it's surveillance? Do you. think it's what was in allegedly in her. possession? Was it the idea of, "Hey, we. can track, let's say, credit cards to. where they were purchased and, you know, where they were used?" I mean, what do. you think they have against her right. now? First of all, she has very competent. defense counsel. She's represented by. Jeffrey Rubenstein. I I believe his. office is in Beverly Hills. And I've. never met Mr. Rubenstein, but he. certainly doesn't work for free. And by. the way, I tell private attorneys this.

all the time, when you're representing. any client charged with what we call a. paper crime, meaning involving high. finance, a lot of money, prosecutors can. bring a civil forfeiture action and. essentially disgorge you of your. attorney's fees that you were paid if if. if they can show that they came from an. ill-gotten source. So, if that money was. taken by her and she used that money to. pay her attorney, her attorney could end. up working for free. Now, having said.

that, if I were defending her, again, the first line of attack would be the. residential burglary. In order to convict, not to hold her to. answer, to stand trial, cuz that's a. probable cause standard, they have to. prove beyond a reasonable doubt that she. had the intent to either commit a felony. or to steal before entering the home. Right. >> So, right? So, if. >> So, in other words, if she just went to. the house, hung out, and then while. she's there, she's like, "Oh, this looks.

nice." and takes it, that wouldn't be. burglary? As an afterthought, no. It is not. Assuming they can prove that you had. that intent before you entered, and you. went there under the guise of just. wanting to hook up, her friend lonely. hearts, that kind of thing, well, then. that might be enough circumstantial. evidence to get her. But, if it's a mere. afterthought, that she got there, they. were having a good time, and then she. starts looking around, and she sees a. really cool bracelet laying on a.

nightstand, or a piece of jewelry, or. even a wad of cash, and then takes it, doesn't mean she's innocent, it just. means it's not burglary. So, Philip, again, what do you think would be the. evidence? How would they prove it? Would. it be There's a strength in numbers if. you're talking about multiple alleged. victims, multiple instances? Is that how. you get to intent? Is that how you get. to what maybe she was allegedly up to? Um because again, it's it's kind of a. it's such an interesting case on so many.

different levels, but you think about. the overlap of the charges, the overlap. of the instances, and how you prove that. intent factor. Well, it depends on the charge. So, for example, if it's let's say. unlawful access card use, meaning. illegal use of credit cards, if she's using an alias, let's say, at. the time of purchase, she's lying about. who she is, then that's obviously. circumstantial of an intent to defraud. or to deceive. >> That's That's like unauthorized use of.

personal identifying information. >> Correct. We call that a 44 484E. out here. And it's a very common crime. where you get a hold. of either a misplaced or stolen credit. card, you try to pass it off as yours, make a purchase, but then you sign a. bogus name on it, or you give some false. circumstances as to how you got the. card. That shows an intent to deceive. and and an intent to defraud. Uh now, as. to burglary, certainly when you have.

sort of a a group of victims who are. coming in that have absolutely no nexus. to one another saying that this. she-devil has done this to me as well. She gets into my house under the guise. of wanting to go out on a date, wanting. to hook up, but in fact she's rummaging. through drawers when I run to the. kitchen to pour her a drink, or if I run. to the men's room, she's opening up. closets or going through my drawers, doing whatever, then that is certainly. circumstantial evidence of an intent to.

steal. But what else does it prove? I. think there's an argument to be made. that circumstantially she had that. intent before entry. You have too many people ganging up on. her who have fallen prey to her to say. no that this was an after-acquired. intent. What did you make of her statement, her. alleged statement she made to the Daily. Mail that she's being, you know, it seemed like she was saying that she. was being falsely accused, falsely. targeted because. she got on someone's wrong side. Is that.

a defense? And then she hung up. apparently when asked more about it, which, I mean, you know, that's her. right to do, but I don't know I'm I'm. assuming that might come into evidence, maybe, but also does it give you a. kind of an idea about a defense there? Depends on how credible she comes off. If she takes the stand and says, "Look, uh. I I admit, maybe I took advantage of. people. I didn't like them after the. first date. It didn't work out, but. nonetheless they they showered and plied.

me with uh extravagant gifts. They wined. and dined me. They're just sore losers. that I wasn't interested, that I didn't. want a second date. And I think there's an argument to be. made that that's true. I mean, how many. people hook up on these uh uh dating. websites? The whole purpose is to date. It doesn't work out, so you move on to. the next one and hopefully you find your. soulmate. Now, after a while it's going. to start to build and build and build. like. building blocks.

uh of guilt because you're going to have. too many people saying that after on the. first date she entered my home and. ripped me off. So, I don't think that. that's necessarily a disgruntled sore. loser or somebody who is uh regretting. going on that first date. It sounds like. somebody who is truly a victim of crime. Think it'd be tough to get a fair and. impartial jury in a case like this as a. defense attorney because um. not that everybody would know about the. case, but what she's accused of. how she appears,

um how she presents herself, uh I wonder if that could be tough, you. know, optics and also. um you know, these accusations, they can. be tough. They can be tough to find a. fair and impartial jury, right? Well, all that really matters during jury. selection is that you can get from the. venire panel that nobody has formed a. final opinion. If nobody, despite what they may have. read about the case or heard about the. case, as long as they have not. reached a final judgment or conclusion.

about her, I think you can find 12. jurors who can be fair and impartial. That even though we are so enmeshed in. the true crime world every day, there. are plenty of people out there just. living their lives who have no idea who. the heck she is. And frankly, let's be honest, particularly here on the west side of LA. and in the San Fernando Valley where. she's going to be tried. We have a large. Jewish and Israeli community who might. actually be sympathetic to her. Uh I'm.

not going to necessarily call them woke. or inclined to let people go merely. because they are from Israel, but I. think that there is going to be some. common ground if you will and uh they. might cut her some slack and never think. that uh one of their own could ever do. this. What. I would imagine. jurors have to be asked, "Did you see. her cover fold or did you ever watch her. online?" I mean, if that's really the. service she was a part of, they are. asked about that, right?

Once and then the court can excuse them. for cause. Because if you can tell. during the voir dire process that they. have formed a final opinion, you know, that she is a a vixen, a villainess, a. thief, a. a conniver, a grifter, then because they. have formed that final opinion based on. media accounts, the judge is going to. kick them for cause. Okay. And by the. way, do you think this is going to. actually move forward towards a trial? I. know you're not part of the case, you. don't know all the evidence, but is this. one of those situations where if you are.

dealing with more black and white. evidence, if you can show the you know, I don't again, I don't know all that. they have, but if it's easy to show, relatively easy to prove unauthorized. use of personal identifying information. or you can you know, if there's. surveillance footage or credit card. receipts, what have you, is this the kind of case where you think. a deal might be worked out and what. would a deal look like? If I were representing her and I have. actually verified that she is not a US. citizen, let alone have a green card or.

lawful status in the United States, I. would try to work out a deal where she. serves 364. days or less to a non-violent and to a. non-aggravated felony under federal law. Because what that would do is yes, she. would be convicted and she would have a. felony, she would be ordered to pay. restitution, but it does not. automatically render her deportable. So, she would still have a right to a. hearing in the immigration courts to.

preserve her right to remain in the. country. That's how I would try to. fashion a deal. Now, on the other hand, if she doesn't want to do any time and. doesn't care about her immigration. status, then you can either just plead. her out and maybe get her straight. probation to the burglary and off she. goes, or you do the trial. But I can tell you now, given uh where. she's going for her trial, if she's. convicted, she's going to prison. Two. two points about that. Why do you say. that? I don't know that trial. And. number two, I don't know that court. And.

two, uh you said federal charge, aren't. these state charges? These are state charges, but when you. are convicted of certain state crimes, it triggers federal immigration law. >> Okay, got you. Got you. Got you. Got. you. Okay? And federal immigration law. defines certain types of offenses that. render you deportable. Got you. For. example, certain types of aggravated uh. uh. residential burglary, where the. homeowner is actually home at the time, we call it a hot burg.

If the victim is actually present during. the time of the burglary, it is an. inherently dangerous felony. Of course. Because there's a presumption you could. use violence to try to thwart the uh uh. the burglar or that the burglar might. try to use violence against the victim. So, you're rendered deportable. Why is that court. you said she if she goes to trial in. that court, she's looking at prison. time. Why do you say that? Well, I can tell you that just based on my.

experience in going to trial in the San. Fernando Valley, when you don't take a. deal and your exposure is almost 11. years, you're not going to get straight. probation when you have this many. victims. I mean, this type of ruse and this type. of advantage that the defendant has. taken over multiple victims who were. vulnerable, who fell easy prey to. somebody who was this cunning and. manipulative has to be punished.

Otherwise, you will never deter this. type of behavior. And at that point, her. immigration concerns are going to be the. least of her problems. She will be going. to the big house. Philip De Baie, love having you on. You. break it down so easily for us to. understand, especially California law. and what happens out in Los Angeles. Thank you, sir. Appreciate it. Drew was online. Be well. And that's all. we have for you right now here on. Sidebar, everybody. Thank you so much. for joining us and as always, please. subscribe on YouTube, Apple Podcast, Spotify, wherever you should get your. podcast. You can also check us out on.

NBC's Peacock as well. If you want to. follow me, X, Instagram, my NewsNation. show, Jesse Watters Primetime, Monday. through Friday, 11:00 p.m. Eastern. I'll. see you next time, everybody.