Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have finally captured a notorious international con artist, believed to be the mastermind of a syndicate targeting Airbnb property owners in Kenya.
The suspect was arrested on Wednesday, along with three of his associates, after a well-coordinated sting operation by the authorities.
The group had been operating a bold swindling scheme that saw them book high-end Airbnbs across the country, enjoy their stay, and then leave without clearing their bills.
Their latest target was a luxury Airbnb in Mombasa, where they stayed for two weeks and disappeared without paying a hefty bill amounting to Ksh370,000.
In a statement shared by the DCI, the main suspect was said to have made a booking for a lavish three-bedroom apartment in Mombasa for a two-week stay.
During this period, the group lived lavishly but later vanished without paying anything.
“The suspect has been arrested for orchestrating a daring scam at a luxurious Mombasa resort. He secured a three-bedroom Airbnb for a two-week stay and disappeared without settling the bill,” read part of the DCI’s report.
Investigations revealed that the scammers initially sent a fake RTGS (Real-Time Gross Settlement) payment of Ksh105,800 to create the impression that they were genuine clients.
However, the money never appeared in the Airbnb host’s account.
When the property owner raised concerns about the missing payment, the main suspect reassured them that the full amount would be settled by a company he claimed to work for.
But instead of making any payment, the suspects vanished without a trace.
“The suspect, working closely with two other fraudsters, devised an elaborate plan to book the expensive apartment online.
They sent an RTGS transfer of Ksh105,800, but the money was never credited. They later disappeared like magicians, leaving behind unpaid bills and confused hosts,” the DCI added.
As detectives dug deeper, they discovered that the main suspect is not new to crime. He is a well-known fraudster with a long history of conning innocent people across Africa.
Authorities also linked him to similar criminal operations in Australia.
This was not the first time the suspect had pulled such a trick in Mombasa. According to reports, he had previously swindled a beach hotel in a similar fashion, escaping without paying after enjoying luxurious accommodation.
The DCI confirmed that the main suspect is now in police custody, and further investigations are ongoing to track down the rest of the syndicate members who are still at large.
This arrest comes after a growing number of complaints from Airbnb owners across Kenya. Many of them reported cases where guests would enjoy their stay and sneak out without settling their bills.
Some property owners also claimed their belongings mysteriously went missing during the guests’ departure.
The DCI has urged all hospitality service providers, especially those offering Airbnb accommodations, to stay alert and thoroughly verify bookings and payment confirmations before admitting guests.
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