Overview
- Federal prosecutors said cousins Shray Goel and Shaunik Raheja pleaded guilty to wire fraud and obstruction in a yearslong rental scam, with sentencings set for August 14 and September 11.
- Prosecutors said they listed the same homes on multiple sites, kept the highest-paying reservation, and canceled other bookings using false excuses like fake plumbing problems.
- To hide their roles and keep operating after a platform ban, they used fake host names and other people’s identities, reposted listings under new accounts, and fabricated reviews.
- The indictment alleges more than 10,000 reservations and $8.5 million in revenue and says guests perceived to be Black were canceled more often, claims not admitted in the pleas.
- U.S. District Judge Wesley L. Hsu will sentence Goel and Raheja later this summer, as Airbnb says it aided investigators and strengthened safeguards to block repeat abuse.