Notorious Airbnb Host Charged with Allegedly Running $8.5M Nationwide Scam
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Shray Goel is charged with running an Airbnb scam across 100 U.S. properties.

Notorious Airbnb Host Charged with Allegedly Running $8.5M Nationwide Scam | Shray Goel is charged with running an Airbnb scam across 100 U.S. properties.::Shray Goel is charged with running an Airbnb scam across 100 U.S. properties.

  • silverbax@lemmy.worldEnglish
    66·
    11 months ago

    Best part of the article:

    “Goel’s scheme was uncovered in an in-depth investigation by reporter Allie Conti in 2019, who detangled the plot after being double-booked at one of his properties in Chicago and receiving a suspicious last-minute cancellation. Conti was contacted by the FBI days after the article was published.”

    I wish there was more of this. Good investigative journalism has been one of the most powerful weapons in justice, and I fear it’s diminishing rapidly.

    • No_Ones_Slick_Like_Gaston@lemmy.worldEnglish
      22·
      11 months ago

      Investigative journalism died the day the local newspapers stopped selling their local markets and became megaphones of a few nationwide companies owned by the same politically well connected donors.

      And yes I fucking salivate everytime I read one of these articles.

  • dynamojoe@lemmy.worldEnglish
    56·
    11 months ago

    for allegedly masterminding a nationwide scam that systematically double-booked guests to rake in profits.

    Goel would set up separate listings for the same property at different prices, according to the indictment, then cancel the lower-priced rental with excuses about bad plumbing…If Goel is convicted, the government could force him to forfeit all of the properties, according to the indictment.

  • Emily (she/her)@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
    12·
    11 months ago

    What does building an AI company “to revolutionize memoir sharing” even mean? He seems like the kind of guy to approach you with a “million dollar idea” for the worst app you’ve every heard of that will pay you in exposure.

  • MelonYellowEnglish
    9·
    11 months ago

    The linked in-depth article by Allie Conti was a good read too. I would’ve done a charge-back, regardless of the blow back. Fuck AirBnB - they should be complicit in this.

  • Crack0n7uesday@lemmy.worldEnglish
    74·
    11 months ago

    There was a shooting near my house on New years Eve, someone rented an AirBNB to throw a party and a rival gang member did a driveby. This could be your neighbors…

    • BearOfaTime@lemm.eeEnglish
      8·
      11 months ago

      Some localities have written new code to address these kinds of issues.

      Which is a good way to deal with these problems - locally. Then any owner of multiple dwellings has to fight the local councils in every location. This makes it much more difficult for them, while also keeping regulation in local hands.

      It’s not perfect, my council has done some really good things, and also made some unfortunate decisions. But they’re responsible to me and my neighbors, not someone in DC.

      • Crack0n7uesday@lemmy.worldEnglish
        3·
        11 months ago

        I’m in a fairly large city so hotel chains have been fighting AirBNB for a while calling it temporary housing, and needs similar regulations a hotel // casinos have to abide by. This has given them a lot of fuel for that fire.