Glamorous Christie’s agent claims her ex-boyfriend stole $70,000 off her and fled to Miami during their whirlwind romance after they met on Hinge app

• New Jersey-based Christina LaBarbiera met Robert Harris on Hinge in April 2023
• Within a matter of months, the lovebirds had plans to move to Florida together
• In November, he suddenly disappeared with $70,000 of her money, she claims

A glamorous Christie’s estate agent has claimed her ex-boyfriend stole $70,000 off her and fled to Miami during their whirlwind romance.

New Jersey-based Christina LaBarbiera met Rob Harris on Hinge last April and within months they planned to move to Florida and put an offer of $1.5million on a condo.

But she soon realized her boyfriend Harris, an estate agent with Real Brokerage, wasn’t the man she thought he was.

In November, he disappeared after allegedly fleecing her out of $70,000 through a series of elaborate lies to get her to hand over the cash, reports the Real Deal. 

LaBarbiera filed a complaint in civil court – which Harris is yet to acknowledged. 

In August, LaBarbiera went to visit Harris in Florida to tour homes. He told her he was putting in an offer on their behalf at a condo complex – but no one under his name ever but in a bid.

While Harris was staying in Florida to allegedly find their dream home, LaBarbiera sent him $12,500 for an Airbnb and $1,300 for entertainment – and he promised that his mother would pay her back soon. But she never saw the money.

To put her mind at ease, Harris sent her an image of his bank statement, which showed a balance of $720,000. He texted her, promising to give her $10,000 in cash when he next saw her. 

LaBarbiera kept sending him money, despite the fact that he was not paying her back. She sent him a total of $50,000 that month – as well as $6,400 for tickets to watch rapper Drake in concert. 

Christina told the Real Deal: ‘I was watching The Tinder Swindler and being like, these girls are so stupid. Now I get it.

‘When I tell people the story on paper, they don’t understand the emotion behind it. From day one I was primed. He created the emotional level there.

Christina added: ‘I didn’t go out with him thinking he was Daddy Warbucks. I just thought he was a nice [person] like me, trying to make money in real estate.

‘He wanted to make something of himself. My hope is that at some point, justice has to happen.’ 

Before she was about to fly to Florida, she got a frantic text from her boyfriend, saying that he had been pulled over and arrested. He asked her: ‘Do you or anyone you know have $12,106 in cash that can be deposited into an account I give you.

‘I’ll call you the second I can but I got pulled over and they ran my stuff and apparently my restitution from the DV incident that charges were dropped, I don’t have the answer right this second but someone didn’t do their job and I’ve had an outstanding warrant for months now and had no idea I haven’t been pulled over and when I have nobody ran my stuff.’

According to screenshots seen by the Real Deal, he then used that money to pay for an Airbnb he rented for his friend Matt. 

Then, he came with another request: ‘They’re hitting me up about the yacht, can you Zelle or wire that same account 4000 babe, when you pick me up Wednesday we can go to my place and give you cash from the safe.

‘Omg you’re gonna see my place finally. Holy s**t.’ 

Full of promises, Harris said that he would pay her back for everything on October 4, when he was coming back to New Jersey. 

However, besotted LaBarbiera showed up to the airport with cupcakes – and her boyfriend was nowhere to be seen. 

Harris continued the lie – and tried to tell the girlfriend that he had been robbed at gunpoint and lost his wallet. But by then, the gig was up.

She confronted him over text several times – but he just responded: ‘I’m sorry for all of this. For whatever it’s worth. But everyone deserves peace.’

LaBarbiera, an associate for Christie’s, is described on her work website as: ‘Born and raised in the industry, she spent many years working closely with North Jersey’s highly respected real estate developers, LaBarbiera Custom Homes. 

‘She incorporates her marketing expertise and creativity in every aspect of her business. She has been deemed a Luxury Specialist by Christie’s International.’