Last November, she filed a lawsuit accusing Robert D. Harris of swindling more than $71,000 from her in the months after they matched on the dating app Hinge.
On Monday, March 18, LaBarbiera says she got the call from police she has been waiting for: Harris surrendered, she said.
Records show 30-year-old Harris was lodged in the Bergen County Jail on March 18, and is facing two counts of credit card theft and one count of theft by unlawful taking/disposition moveable property.
"I'm just looking forward to the justice system doing the right thing," said LaBarbiera, a 35-year-old real estate agent. "It's a little sigh of relief."
LaBarbiera went public with her story in February in an effort to raise awareness toward her case and push law enforcement's involvement, she says.
At the time of Daily Voice's report, Mahwah Police Capt. Guido Bussinelli said only that the department had a "very active investigation and we’re doing the very best we can to assist the victim."
LaBarbiera says she didn't expect to receive so much negative attention after sharing her story.
"You try to warn people and make people aware of what really goes on," she said. "I got a lot of negative feedback from people saying 'She's bitter,' or 'She's too smart to be so stupid.'
"The world doesn't understand at the end of the day a victim is a victim."
Mahwah police did not immediately return Daily Voice's request for comment.
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