An arrest warrant has been issued for Shray Goel, a former host of vacation rentals accused of deceiving thousands of customers.
As per the indictment linked to the warrant retrieved by PEOPLE, Goel faces charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Allegedly, he utilized platforms like Airbnb, VRBO, and others to conduct a "double-booking bait-and-switch scheme" involving around 100 properties across multiple states.
The indictment reveals that while some of his listings were genuine, others were entirely fictitious. Certain properties were purportedly listed under addresses that either lacked residential structures, were unrelated to the scheme, or didn't exist.
Reportedly, Goel and his associates accepted over 10,000 reservations in the years 2018 and 2019, generating a revenue of $7 million.
The alleged modus operandi involved posting multiple listings for the same property using different "fake host accounts." Consequently, multiple individuals would book the same rental. The highest-paying guest secured the reservation, while Goel purportedly canceled all other bookings, citing false reasons for the sudden unavailability of the property.
According to the indictment, Goel evaded cancellation fees or refunds by providing false details to the rental platform about the reservation status or the guest's stay completion.
In some instances, he allegedly proposed an alternative property of purportedly similar quality for overbooked guests. Alternatively, just before check-in, he reportedly ceased communication, leaving the double-booked guests stranded without accommodations.
Moreover, Goel supposedly manipulated listings by removing and re-listing properties on the same platforms to eliminate negative guest reviews and prevent their removal by the platform.
The indictment also suggests that he utilized fake guest accounts to post misleading positive reviews.
Responding to PEOPLE, an Airbnb spokesperson stated, "Airbnb relies on trust, and individuals engaging in fraudulent activities have no place in our community. We cooperated with the US Attorney's Office and the FBI during their investigation, aiming to ensure accountability. We appreciate their efforts."
The spokesperson added, "We've implemented several measures, including identity and listing verification, to bolster our defenses against deceptive behavior, reducing the already rare instances of such activities."
Despite requests, Goel did not offer a comment to PEOPLE, and the phone number listed on his professional website is no longer active.
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