A man has been arrested after allegedly masterminding a bold scam at a luxury furnished property in Mombasa.
In a post on their official page, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI ) announced that Samwel Malish was taken into custody for booking a lavish three-bedroom apartment at Jumeirah Palm Resort for a two-week stay, only to disappear without making any payment.
The stay, which allegedly amounted to Sh370,300, was booked online by Malish and two unidentified accomplices. DCI said that the three initially sent a Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) payment confirmation of Sh105,800.
However, the funds allegedly never reached the host's account. When contacted, Malish confidently assured the host that his company would clear the bill before checkout. But by then, the group had vanished without a trace.
MAN ARRESTED FOR AIRBNB SCAM
Samwel Malish 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.
Malish, along with two accomplices, concocted... pic.twitter.com/4tfOXLv4pG- DCI KENYA (@DCI_Kenya) April 16, 2025
"When the host inquired about the missing payment, Malish confidently claimed that his company would cover the bill before their departure." DCI said, adding "But just like a magician's disappearing act, he and his accomplices inexplicably vanished, leaving behind nothing but confusion and bills."
Sleuths also noted that this was not the first time the suspect had been caught in such a case.
"As investigators dug deeper, they uncovered Malish's notorious history as a con artist, wanted for swindling innocent victims across Africa, and even involved in criminal activities in Australia. He and his partners in crime previously defrauded a Beach Hotel in Mombasa in the same fashion," they added.
