Two cousins caught in outrageous $9M Airbnb scam where they destroyed 10,000 vacations

Two cousins have been allegedly caught in a massive $8.5 million scheme to scam customers out of vacation rentals and cash, using double-booking and bait-and-switch to target customers.

Shray Goel, 36, and Shaunik Raheja, 37, allegedly operated their rental fraud scheme from 2013–2019, using fake identities to defraud predominantly black people.

The pair was caught and charged following a federal investigation that led to their guilty pleas this year, the Los Angeles Times reported.

According to the federal investigation, the men admitted to listing the same properties on multiple platforms, including Airbnb and Vrbo, only to cancel on guests at the last minute — often using false excuses about maintenance issues — to keep the most expensive booking for themselves.

An Airbnb spokesman said: “Airbnb is built on trust, and bad actors have no place in our community. We supported the US Attorney’s Office and the FBI throughout their investigation to help ensure those responsible are held accountable, and we are thankful for their work.

“We have taken multiple steps to strengthen our defenses to help make rare issues like this even rarer.” The California Post has reached out to Vrbo for comment.

While the duo pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud and obstruction of justice, they did not admit to additional allegations of racial discrimination or the full $8.5 million scope of the fraud.

Goel also admitted to overbooking properties and using electronic communications to send guests false excuses for cancellations after securing higher-paying reservations.

Raheja specifically admitted that he lied to federal agents during the 2023 investigation.

Both men are currently awaiting sentencing hearings scheduled for late summer 2026. Goel faces up to 20 years in federal prison, while Raheja faces up to 10 years.

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