Influencers 1 - Mentors 0: Wellness Influencer Accused of Swiping $2.3M from Real Estate Investor Mentors for Lavish Lifestyle
A wellness influencer is facing serious allegations of pilfering over $2.3 million from two prominent real estate investors she once hailed as her “role models.” This audacious scheme, which reportedly spanned three years, involved using the stolen funds to not only support her beauty business but also to indulge in a lifestyle filled with designer goods, luxury home décor, and even a personal shopper. Quite the story, right?
Bobbi Vargas, who is 46 and operates under the brand name Bodel, was apprehended on a Wednesday after authorities uncovered that she had been using five credit cards belonging to finance moguls Grant and Elena Cardone. Between April 2021 and March 2024, she allegedly racked up nearly $450,000 in fraudulent purchases on Amazon, as detailed in a police report from the Las Vegas Metro department, which was obtained by KLAS.
According to the police, Vargas, whose real name is Bobbi Awad, funneled nearly $2 million from the Cardones’ credit cards into a PayPal account. It’s almost like she had a whole operation going on! The report indicated that she utilized a front company, Bodella LLC, to launder the proceeds from her alleged theft.
Documents from the court reveal that Vargas, boasting over 202,000 followers on Instagram, made a staggering 7,400 online purchases with the couple’s funds. Among these were extravagant items like a brick pizza oven, an 83-inch television, and a dual-range gas stove. I mean, who needs that many gadgets, right?
This lifestyle entrepreneur, who publicly praised the Cardones—known for their endorsement of President Trump—as “role models” on social media, also splurged on designer items worth $169,000. In total, she made 147 payments that amounted to around $800,000 for her business and employees. Talk about living large!
Her payroll included a personal shopper, a housekeeper, an electrician, and a contractor, with additional funds being spent at high-end retailers like Pottery Barn, Net-a-Porter, and eBay. It’s a bit mind-boggling to think about how she managed to keep all of this under wraps for so long.
Interestingly, a third victim, referred to only as a “friend,” reported to the police that Vargas allegedly attempted to repay a $100,000 loan with fake currency stuffed inside a shoebox. Can you believe that? Detectives later contacted propmoney.com and discovered that Vargas had ordered $103,000 in various denominations, which conveniently arrived at her home just three days before her meeting with this third victim.
The investigation, which lasted over a year, was initiated after American Express alerted Elena Cardone about suspicious transactions on her credit card, including ten Amazon gift cards sent to Vargas. It’s like a plot twist in a movie!
Now, Vargas is facing a whopping 19 felony charges, which include six counts of theft exceeding $100,000, four counts of attempted money laundering, and one count of obtaining a credit or debit card without the owner’s consent. The gravity of the situation is hard to ignore.
After appearing in Las Vegas Justice Court, she was released from custody, but not without a stern warning from Judge Eric Goodman. “The first problem I have with you will be the last problem I have with you,” he cautioned, making it clear that any further missteps could land her back in custody.
In a bid to address her followers, Vargas took to Instagram on Friday night, stating that “there’s always two sides to a story.” It’s a classic line, isn’t it? If convicted, she could face more than 20 years behind bars. What a dramatic turn of events for someone who once seemed to have it all!
