Florida Man Sentenced to 51 Months for Renting Out Apartments on “Airbnb” in Manhattan

Since the advancement of internet technology, the sharing economy exemplified by companies like Uber, Airbnb, and WeWork has become increasingly popular. Many people saw the business opportunity in short-term rentals even if they didn’t own properties themselves. While some simply operated as landlords in this manner, there are those who took it further by not paying rent to the main landlords, leading to legal troubles.

Recently, a 32-year-old man from Florida was sentenced for not paying rent for an apartment in Manhattan and simultaneously making millions as a short-term rental landlord.

According to the US Southern District Attorney’s Office, the Florida man named Konrad Bicher started renting apartment units in Manhattan in February 2019. These units were at market prices, with clear lease agreements stipulating no subletting without written consent from the landlord and prohibiting short-term rentals. By April 2022, Bicher had rented a total of 18 such units and listed them for short-term rentals on Airbnb.

Not only did he earn money this way, but he also failed to pay the rent he owed to the landlords and refused to vacate the properties. As a result, he was sued by multiple landlords. According to the federal prosecutor’s office announcement, over four years, Bicher accumulated over $1 million in unpaid rent while making a profit of $1.17 million from his short-term rental business.

Furthermore, Bicher took advantage of federal tenant protection measures during the pandemic by using his identity as a “tenant” to shield himself against the lawsuits from the landlords. Additionally, he applied for the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) using false information and obtained over $560,000 in relief funds for himself.

During this time, Bicher lived an extravagant lifestyle, posting photos on social media of vacations on private jets and even referred to himself as the “Wolf Of Airbnb”.

“For years, Bicher schemed to defraud New York landlords and the US government, exploiting federal policies designed to protect landlords and businesses during economic and public crises to amass wealth for himself,” said US Federal Prosecutor Damian Williams in a statement on July 22. “He boasted about his scheme to friends and the media, proudly calling himself the ‘Wolf Of Airbnb’. However, as today’s judgment emphasizes, those who engage in such cold-hearted and fraudulent behavior will be held accountable for their crimes, regardless of the titles they claim.”

Bicher was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison, with confiscation of $1.7 million and a fine of $2.2 million. After his release, he will be under supervision for three years.