He may have branded himself “The Wolf of Airbnb,” but Konrad Bicher isn’t getting the Leonardo DiCaprio biopic treatment anytime soon. His next stop could be prison.
The FBI has indicted Bicher, 30, for wire fraud, according to a federal complaint unsealed Thursday. He allegedly devised a scheme where he garnered at least $1.17 million for renting out at least 18 Manhattan apartments. He would allegedly list the luxury units for rent so visitors could host photoshoots, film music videos, or stay for small amounts of time.
All the while, the FBI alleges, he owed over $1 million in rent to several different landlords. He’s faced civil suits in the past, but the FBI hasn’t been involved. Until now.
There were at least 18 apartments that were rented by Bicher, a friend, or a company that was he was affiliated with. Investigators said that building managers and owners made numerous attempts to remove Bicher as a tenant or get what he owed them, including legal action.
All of the lease agreements prohibited units to be rented out on a short-term basis or included a line requiring lessees to contact unit owners before subletting their apartments.
The complaint also says Bircher invented a fake spouse, who he put as a lessee on four of the apartments. When a front desk clerk noticed a discrepancy in contact phone number, the alleged spouse hit back.
“Konrad is my husband and we have access to [the] same number,” they said, according to investigators.
Bicher’s ‘Wolf of Airbnb’ nickname, The Real Deal once reported, is self-proclaimed.
“It means someone who is hungry and ruthless enough to get on top of the financial ladder,” he texted the outlet, ignoring all other questions. “They compare the ferocity to that of a wolf, because wolves are territorial, vicious and show no mercy when provoked.”
Bicher was released from custody on $200,000 bail, according to court records. It was also under the condition that he surrender travel documents, not open any new bank accounts or credit cards, and not discuss the case with witnesses the FBI has identified.
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