Guest’s criminal history

Inna22
Level 10
Chicago, IL

Guest’s criminal history

My next week’s guest is fighting me on having to show his and his friends IDs. He has no reviews and no profile photo. I decided to look the guy up, something I would not have done if he were not so insistent on anonymity. He is indicted in healthcare fraud at the tune of $12 million. There is no mistaking him. It’s a very unusual name from a small town with an unusual name. This is a non-violent crime and my house is not a shared listing so I have no problems with him staying. I am really tempted to point out to him that he gave up his privacy when he dispensed multiple millions dollars worth of medications to dead people and got caught. 

22 Replies 22

@Inna22   It's a matter of public record, so you're free to bring it up if you want to, even if he's already done his time. But that's kind of beside the point...your guest is already fighting you on the stated rules that he agreed to when he booked, and the stay hasn't even started yet. How is that not a problem? Are you still going to give this shady group of people the keys to your house even if they don't present their IDs?

@Anonymous my request for IDs is never welcomed. At the minimum it is an inconvenience for the organizer to get it. It is also usually a bit embarrassing. it is in multiple places in my listing but no one reads so they now have to explain to everyone how they booked a place with all these rules. I am used to this being questioned so it is not an immediate turn off. At the end everyone complies. Since I have started to require IDs from absolutely everyone in the group, the state of the houses has been so much better at check out, day and night! However reviews have suffered

@Inna22   Well, I guess there could be a frisson of excitement knowing you have an ex-convict who's defrauded millions and an anonymous pack of his associates in your midst. Maybe it'll be Ocean's Eleven up in the house. But if anything goes awry, of course you can't say you didn't see red flags...

@Anonymous yes, we have decided they are here to plan their defense. Or next scheme. I thought they usually arrest the money too. Not sure how he could afford my place or why he would be wasting the money on vacations right now.  In his very first message he said "we are very clean". Ironic

@Inna22  They can only freeze the assets that they already know about.

 

If you let these people in your house, you're crazy...but maybe the fun kind of crazy! I mean, wouldn't you want to know what kind of pharma they've got stashed before doing the sensible thing and sending them away?

@Anonymous I like how you think. I might need to do an urgent inspection of the furnace while they are there

Brian2036
Level 10
Arkansas, United States

@Inna22 @Anonymous 

 

He has been indicted, not convicted.

 

 I assume that he’s out on bail. If he isn’t already doing something that could cause his bail to be revoked he may be planning to do it.

 

 I think you need to insist on seeing their IDs and making copies.

 

 I wouldn’t want this person anywhere near me.

@Brian2036 Doesn't the concept of innocent until proven guilty apply in America?

@Mike-And-Jane0 

 

That depends entirely on how much justice one is willing or able to pay for.

Linda108
Level 10
La Quinta, CA

Since this is a Chicago  city regulation, you have no choice so what's to fight?  I understand many people would not want to have to get a large party to provide ID's so that is unrelated to his particular legal status.  Interesting to find him so easily since he is guarding his privacy.

@Linda108 between us the regulation is vague (as any Chicago regulation so you can easily accuse anyone of breaking it as it can be interpreted so many ways). I am pretty sure I am the only host in the city being that strict. I do blame it on the regulation when I talk to the guests though 

Elaine701
Level 10
Balearic Islands, Spain

Here, It's the law to take copies of IDs of all adult guests, so it's not an arguable point. I can refuse admission if they refuse. But none ever have (it's completely normal and expected here). 

 

But I often google guests who lack much info, for no other reason than to get some idea of what their expectations might be, so we can best meet or exceed them.

 

What's their profession? Are they affluent? Famous? Or just regular down to earth folks. It can really help set the right "tone" in communications and preparation. 

 

But yes, sometimes it delivers unexpected results... For example, last year, had a very nice lady book a week with her family. Her demeanour made her appear somewhat affluent. Very well educated. Apparently a businesswoman, with husband and a couple of small children...

 

So, I looked her up. A Google search revealed she's a mildly famous music producer, producing several very wacky punked-out extreme heavy metal acts... with names that probably wouldn't pass the profanity filters here.

 

Yet, she was delightfully normal, highly intelligent, with a pretty sophisticated air about her. Nice husband, nice kids... Nothing to see here. 

John2406
Level 10
Swansea, United Kingdom

@Inna22, whilst I would agree that the provision of ID from Guests can greatly help to provide Hosts with more than a little bit of "security", a Guest having and supplying an ID is no guarantee that all will be 100% well by the time they depart.

 

Equally, someone without an ID, isn't necessarily going to leave one's place in a mess, remove items, or otherwise defraud a Host.

 

If Airbnb doesn't insist upon an ID for every Guest who stays at your place, then in order to protect oneself, I would imagine that the only thing to do - BEFORE anyone actually books - is to add wording to your listing to state that no booking will be accepted in the absence of an ID.

 

As to what this Guest may or may not have done in the past, whilst we're all entitled to our own opinions, and decisions as to what best to do, "We" are not in possession of the facts of what they did or didn't do, and therefore we would be as morally wrong (in my opinion) to determine Guilt or Innocence upon someone we've never met, who's never stayed with us, and who - irrespective of our own, and/or others' opinions of the case against the person - under most Countries' legal systems - are considered to be innocent until proven guilty (and NOT the other way about).

 

If one doesn't feel safe/secure about the Guest, then the option to Cancel the booking remains with the Host.

 

In this instance I would imagine that if the Host requested cancellation via Airbnb support, it is highly likely that the latter wouldn't accept the reason provided, as it might well be deemed to be discrimination.

@John2406 my ID requirement is in my listing and I do agree with you that it’s not my place to decide on this person‘s guilt or innocence