Bergen County Realtor Sues Ex-boyfriend for Alleged $70,000 Con
Christina LaBarbiera, a realtor from Bergen County, New Jersey, is taking legal action against her former partner, Rob Harris, accusing him of scamming her out of more than $70,000. The suit remains unanswered by Harris, leaving LaBarbiera to tell her tale of how their relationship began on Hinge, a popular dating app.
Harris, who also works as a real estate agent in New Jersey, managed to captivate LaBarbiera with his charming personality and shared profession. As the two bonded over personal struggles and dreams for the future, including plans to move to Miami and invest in a condo together, LaBarbiera found herself emotionally and financially invested in the relationship.
Unfortunately, Harris's true intentions came to light when LaBarbiera discovered discrepancies in his requests for monetary assistance. Initially, Harris portrayed himself as a successful real estate agent with ambitions to expand his business in Florida, leading to multiple loan requests from LaBarbiera. These loans were supposedly related to their shared future and his business needs.
As time passed, LaBarbiera's trust in Harris began to waver, particularly as his financial demands increased. The final straw came when Harris spun a deceitful story about his arrest, convincing LaBarbiera to wire him $12,000 for bail. It was after this incident, among others, that LaBarbiera realized she had been conned.
Desperate to reclaim her stolen funds, LaBarbiera confronted Harris, only to uncover a web of lies. She discovered that he had been living with another woman in New Jersey, exposing a double life he had carefully concealed. Reflecting on her experience, LaBarbiera now approaches dating with greater caution, preferring to meet people organically or through mutual acquaintances.
Drawn parallels with other cases of deception, such as the infamous "Tinder Swindler," LaBarbiera emphasizes the employment of urgency and chaos in Harris's manipulations. Her story serves as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance when navigating the unpredictable world of online dating.
Analyst comment
This news is negative for Christina LaBarbiera as she has been conned out of her life savings. It is neutral for the overall market. As an analyst, it is likely that LaBarbiera will face financial difficulties due to her loss, but it is uncertain how it will impact the broader real estate market.
