Shray Goel and Shaunik Raheja have been indicted on charges of wire fraud and conspiracy after allegedly scamming over $8.5 million from Airbnb and Vrbo through a "double-booking, bait-and-switch scam" involving over 10,000 reservations across 10 states. The scheme involved creating fake listings, canceling on guests last minute, and rerouting them to inferior accommodations, sometimes based on racial discrimination. Goel faces additional charges of aggravated identity theft. Both Airbnb and Vrbo were defrauded in the process, with the companies and numerous customers falling victim to the scam.
Tom Girardi, the estranged husband of "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Erika Jayne, has been declared competent to stand trial by a Los Angeles federal judge. Girardi, 84, faces multiple counts of wire fraud for allegedly embezzling millions from clients. Despite claims of late-onset Alzheimer's disease and dementia, prosecutors believe Girardi is feigning his condition to avoid trial. The judge's full order on the ruling is sealed, with attorneys given five days to suggest parts to remain confidential.
Joran van der Sloot, the chief suspect in the 2005 disappearance of Natalee Holloway, pleaded not guilty to federal charges of extortion and wire fraud. He is accused of trying to extort money from the missing teen’s mother in exchange for revealing the location of her body. Van der Sloot was extradited to the United States from Peru, where he is serving a 28-year prison sentence after confessing to killing a Peruvian woman. He was arraigned in Birmingham, not far from the suburb where Holloway grew up, in his first court appearance in the case.
