A Kenyan man believed to be behind a string of high-end accommodation scams across Africa and Australia has been arrested in Mombasa.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) announced through a statement on Wednesday, April 16, that the man was caught while defrauding the Jumeirah Palm Resort in Mombasa.
According to the statement, the suspect orchestrated a scheme in collaboration with two accomplices to stay at a luxury three-bedroom Airbnb without paying for it.
“The suspect has been apprehended for pulling off a daring scam at the Jumeirah Palm Resort in Mombasa. He booked a three-bedroom Airbnb for two weeks but vanished into thin air without paying a dime,” stated DCI.
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How the Kenyan Pulled Off the Scam
The directorate explained that the suspect and his accomplices booked a two-week stay online, initially sending a fake Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) transaction of Ksh105,800 as part payment.
However, when the payment failed to reflect in the hotel’s account, the Kenyan reassured them that his employer would settle the bill before check-out.
“They first sent an RTGS message for Sh105,800, but the funds never reflected in Airbnb’s account. When the host inquired about the missing payment, the suspect confidently claimed that his company would cover the bill before their departure,” added the DCI statement.
The three individuals spent the time at the hotel and enjoyed the facilities. By the time the hotel realized that they would not eventually pay, they were nowhere to be found, leaving behind an unpaid balance.
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According to the authorities, the suspect is a known fraudster with an extensive criminal record.
He is wanted for multiple scams targeting hotels and individuals in several African countries and has also been linked to fraud investigations in Australia.
“He and his partners in crime previously defrauded a Beach Hotel in Mombasa in the same way. Now in custody, he is undergoing processing pending arraignment, as detectives pursue his elusive accomplices,” added the directorate.
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