Jail time for Airbnb scammer

By Judy Abel · Tue Aug 18 2026

A Calabasas man is going to prison for his part in scamming people out of short-term rental contracts in Malibu and surrounding areas. Shray Goel, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and faced up to 20 years, but was sentenced to just one year and one day in prison, along with a $15,000 fine for participating in a multi-million dollar double bookingscam on Airbnb.  Goel and his cousin, 36-year-old Shaunik Raheja of Denver, are accused of bait-and-switch tactics, double booking short-term rentals, and discrimination against Black people. Raheja pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice for lying to investigators according to the U.S. Department of  Justice. 

The pair’s scheme consisted of renting the same properties, for the same nights, on different short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo and then cancelling on renters at the last minute. Overbooked guests were given excuses ofplumbing problems and then booked into substandard replacement accommodations. The Dept. of Justice also claims Goel and Raheja even booked non-existent properties and used fake names to book stays to create a secret bidding war for rentals in an effort to drive up prices. Prosecutors say the pair used racial prejudice and discrimination in their decisions on which guests to cancel.

Raheja is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 11. He faces up to ten years behind bars.