Billionaire Drugged? LAPD Digs In

Patient receiving IV therapy in a hospital room

A police warrant says detectives looked into whether a model drugged her billionaire fiancé with ketamine — and that single line set off a legal chain reaction across Los Angeles.

Story Snapshot

LAPD sought a warrant to search Adva Lavie’s phone in a ketamine probe tied to her ex-fiancé.
The investigation links to a larger case alleging Lavie targeted wealthy dates and stole from them.
Stephen Cloobeck, the billionaire ex, was later arrested in a related witness tampering case.
No public toxicology confirms ketamine dosing; the allegation remains an active inquiry.

What Investigators Searched For And Why It Matters

Los Angeles police pursued a judge’s approval in August to search Adva Lavie’s phone while probing whether she drugged her onetime fiancé, hotel investor Stephen Cloobeck, with ketamine, according to a warrant described by multiple outlets. The Los Angeles Times reported that the case grew out of an ongoing investigation into Lavie’s alleged dating-app theft ring that targeted wealthy men and women across Los Angeles County. A cited excerpt attributes to a detective that he had already been looking into possible ketamine use against Cloobeck.

Media reports converge on the same core: an LAPD-led inquiry, a phone search warrant, and a focus on ketamine and the Cloobeck-Lavie relationship. That overlap boosts confidence in the event’s basic frame, even if unanswered lab questions remain. The public record seen so far does not include toxicology, a charging document on drugging, or medical files. That keeps the drugging claim in the “investigating whether” lane, not the “proved” lane — a real difference a jury and taxpayers should respect.

The Larger Criminal Context Surrounding Lavie

Prosecutors charged Lavie with multiple felonies tied to alleged burglaries and identity-related crimes, saying she used dating apps, formed relationships, and then stole cash and high-end goods from victims across Los Angeles County. She has pleaded not guilty and denies the allegations. Courts also weighed and denied a bid for mental health diversion tied to separate defense claims, keeping the main case on a standard track, according to coverage of the proceedings. The ketamine inquiry sits inside this broader case, not apart from it.

Cloobeck’s own legal trouble shows how wide the ripples have spread. Authorities arrested him on four counts, including allegations he tried to influence witnesses linked to Lavie’s case; he pleaded not guilty. The New York Times likewise detailed claims that he tried to prevent a victim from testifying. That arrest does not prove the drugging claim. It does confirm an active, multi-witness criminal fight swirling around the same relationship. That context matters when judging who had leverage — and who tried to keep it.

What The Evidence Does — And Does Not — Show

The warrant’s wording is strong enough to justify a phone search but falls short of medical proof. There is no released toxicology or clinical record linking Cloobeck to ketamine exposure in the public material cited so far. That gap is common in drug-facilitated crime cases, where detection windows close fast and routine screens miss drugs without targeted tests. Forensic literature warns that ketamine requires quick, focused sampling to confirm exposure, which often does not happen in time.

Several outlets quote defense filings that paint a harsh portrait of the relationship and drug use, including claims Lavie tried certain drugs with a wealthy partner. Those are defense assertions, not government lab results, and they cut both ways in the court of public opinion. The right standard is simple: follow evidence that can be tested, preserved, and cross-examined. That aligns with conservative values on due process and equal justice, whether a suspect is a model, a mogul, or both.

What Comes Next And The Questions That Matter

Three steps could tighten the record fast. First, unseal and review the full phone-search affidavit and any exhibits, so the public can see the exact basis for probable cause. Second, secure any time-stamped medical and lab records from the relevant period, if they exist. Third, match any observed symptoms with known ketamine effects and timing, which forensic reviews say is key to a reliable conclusion. If those steps fail, the ketamine claim should stay where it is: an uncharged lead.

Los Angeles has seen this movie: flashy headlines, high-value targets, and a fog of half-facts. The disciplined path is clear. Stick to on-record filings and verifiable lab work. Treat search-warrant language as what it is, a step toward evidence, not the evidence itself. Hold every side to the same bar. If the science backs the charge, file it. If it does not, say so. Justice is not a vibe; it is a record the public can read, line by line.