The owner of the luxury rehab facility where Presley Gerber died has a controversial past and criminal history.
Dr. Reza Nabavi, the 50-year-old founder of Resolutions Living in Santa Monica, has previously been arrested for possessing narcotics and narcotics paraphernalia, Page Six reports.
In February 2002, Nabavi was arrested by Oakland Police Department officers after being found asleep in a car in an area plagued by “frequent narcotic and prostitution activity.”
He was 25 at the time and was with a 15-year-old girl. According to official documents obtained by Page Six, the minor told officers that she did not know Nabavi well and was under the influence of methamphetamine.
Officers then found meth and marijuana in his vehicle, as well as a knife, a handgun, and ammunition. In May 2002, he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of possession of a controlled substance. Nabavi received 36 months of probation.
Later that month, he was once again arrested for possessing narcotics and paraphernalia, according to Page Six. Officers caught him after he agreed to sell meth to an informant. In June 2002, he again pleaded no contest to charges and was sentenced to another 36 months of probation.
The charges stopped Nabavi from registering as a psychologist with the California Board of Psychology. In 2005, he was denied his application because of his convictions and use of controlled substances.
Nabavi, who obtained his PhD in clinical psychology at the California School of Professional Psychology, ultimately registered as a psychological assistant in January 2006. He was placed under probationary terms, including submitting to a psychological evaluation, being monitored by a licensed psychologist, entering a drug and alcohol recovery program, committing to treatment, informing his employer of the probation, and undergoing random drug and alcohol testing.
After one more denial, he finally registered as a psychologist in December 2006. His license with the California Board of Psychology is valid until June 30, 2028.
The Daily Beast has reached out to Nabavi’s Resolutions Living for comment.
Nabavi founded Resolutions Therapeutic Services, an “intensive outpatient program for the treatment of primary mental health, trauma, addiction, and co-occurring disorders,” in August 2013, according to his LinkedIn.
Resolutions Living describes its $7.7 million three-story home as “as safe as it is beautiful,” with “highly-trained” staff who walk residents through stages of long-term recovery.
However, the home was not officially recognized by the state of California, and instead operated as a sober living home without doctors, nurses, and licensed therapists.
On Sunday, August 20, the son of supermodel Cindy Crawford and businessman Rande Gerber was found dead at Nabavi’s luxurious rehabilitation home. He was 27 years old.
Gerber, who had struggled with substance abuse for several years, checked himself into the facility on Saturday night. About 12 hours later, at 9:45 a.m., he was pronounced dead. An official cause of death is yet to be revealed, but he reportedly died of cardiac arrest and a suspected overdose.
He is survived by his parents, Crawford, 60, and Rande, 64, and his sister, Kaia, 25.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
