Fraud Scheme Tied to Rental Scams
Two cousins have been implicated in an extensive fraud operation, allegedly swindling around $8.5 million from customers seeking vacation rentals. The scheme included deceptive practices like double-booking and bait-and-switch tactics.
Shrey Goel, 36, and Shonik Raheja, 37, reportedly orchestrated this fraudulent activity from 2013 to 2019, primarily targeting Black individuals and using false identities to carry out their scheme.
The pair’s arrest followed a federal investigation that uncovered their actions, leading to guilty pleas earlier this year.
Details from the federal probe indicate that the cousins advertised the same properties on various rental platforms, including Airbnb and Vrbo. They would often cancel last-minute reservations, citing bogus reasons such as maintenance issues, allowing them to retain the most lucrative bookings for themselves.
An Airbnb representative commented, “Airbnb is built on trust, and there is no place for bad actors in our communities. We supported the U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI throughout the investigation and thank them for their work to ensure those responsible are held accountable.”
Vrbo was also noted as having been contacted for a comment regarding the situation. The companies mentioned have taken measures to strengthen their systems to minimize these types of issues in the future.
Goel and Raheja pled guilty to charges of wire fraud and obstruction of justice. Interestingly, they did not admit to the full extent of the alleged $8.5 million fraud, nor did they acknowledge any racial discrimination, even though such claims were part of the investigation.
Goel also confessed to overbooking properties, targeting high-priced reservations, and then misleading guests about cancellations through electronic messages.
Raheja, in particular, admitted to having deceived federal agents during the investigation earlier this year.
At present, both men are awaiting sentencing hearings set for late summer 2026. Goel faces a possible 20 years in federal prison, while Raheja may be sentenced to 10 years.
