Well, this mission has seemingly been aborted. Toronto Police have just alerted the public about two men who have been identified for allegedly defrauding Airbnb hosts and residential landlords all across the 6ix.
It is alleged that on Monday, January 20, and Wednesday, April 7, 41-year-old Matthew Dodd (pictured) and 51-year-old Steven Redigonda rented out several apartments under fake identities.
Toronto Police Service
"The men created deceptive email addresses and created a fraudulent United States identifiers in an attempt to gain lodging fraudulently," police wrote in a news release. "The men told homeowners that they are working as 'COVID-19 research doctors employed by the CIA and the MARS Research Lab.'"
"When the men unlawfully obtained lodging, they would use their knowledge of the property to unlawfully enter the dwellings, commit thefts, and identify frauds," TPS continued.
Dodd is wanted for fraudulently obtaining food and lodging, identity theft, possession of property obtained by crime, two counts of "unlawfully [being] in a dwelling house," forgery, fraud exceeding $5,000, possession of a fraudulent passport, mischief over $5,000, and theft over $5,000.
Redigonda is wanted for "unlawfully [being] in a dwelling" and failure to appear for fingerprints.
The investigators in the case are warning the public to not engage with either of these two people in a rental contract, and think there could also be more victims. Anyone with any information is asked to email Detective Constable Jeffrey Dyrkawec or call the police at 416-808-2222.
This article's right-hand cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.