"You think that you can trust the person that you’re supposedly going to spend the rest of your life with,” Christina LaBarbiera tells Inside Edition.
A young woman started a relationship with a man on the dating app Hinge. At first, he was too good to be true, but then he started asking for money.
Real estate agent Christina LaBarbiera saw Rob Harris’ profile and swiped right.
“Everything’s about how attractive, right? You’re attracted to someone at first. And also, I saw he was in real estate, dog lover,” LaBarbiera says.
Two weeks later, they went on their first date at an upscale seafood restaurant in New York City.
“It was laughter. I mean, we were there for like five hours and we just like drove around the city afterward,” LaBarbiera says.
After four months, they spoke about moving to Miami together. That’s when Harris started asking LaBarbiera for money.
In a text message to LaBarbiera, Harris wrote, “If you can send me $7500 I'll extend out [AirB&B] spot. I’ll have 10k for you when you get here.”
“‘You know I’ll pay you back,’ I’m like, okay, why would he not,” LaBarbiera says.
But she says he did not pay her back, and he kept asking for more money.
“Can you Zelle me 8300,” Harris sent in another message for LaBarbiera. She sent him the money.
In another message, Harris asked LaBarbiera to Apple Pay him around $5,000. “I don’t have my wallet my ID anything,” Harris wrote. “I love you so much.”
According to text messages LaBarbiera shared with Inside Edition. Harris told her he was pulled over by police and arrested on an outstanding warrant and needed bail money. He asked LaBarbiera if she or anyone she knew had $12,106 in cash. She sent him the money through a wire transfer.
LaBarbiera says Harris exploited her. In total, she sent him $71,000.
“I did start to get nervous. But again, you think that you can trust the person that you’re supposedly going to spend the rest of your life with,” she says.
LaBarbiera says she does not think she will ever see the money she sent Harris again.
“It will be a great day when I can see him doing the walk in handcuffs,” LaBarbiera says.
LaBarbiera has filed a civil suit and there is currently a warrant out to arrest Harris.
