Overview
What Happened
During a multi-week stay across properties managed by hosts known as "Manuela" (Host) and "Manu" (Co-Host) on AirBnB in Medellín, I was subjected to a coordinated pattern of intimidation, fraudulent billing, and documented threats — all conducted through AirBnB's official messaging system, creating a complete evidentiary record.
Documented Violations
Seven Counts of Misconduct
My rabbit is a psychiatric service animal trained to interrupt harmful behavior. AirBnB Policy No. 1869 explicitly prohibits charging guests for damage allegedly caused by service animals. The hosts cited the animal as the basis for all damage claims — a direct policy violation that was escalated to AirBnB's specialist team.
Despite more than twelve documented requests for an itemized bill, none was ever provided. Instead, the co-host repeatedly threatened police involvement, AirBnB bans, and legal action — using the threat of consequences to coerce payment for unsubstantiated damage claims. This pattern constitutes extortion under Colombian law.
The co-host explicitly threatened to "inform police authorities," file criminal complaints, and have the guest's reservation forcibly cancelled — all in direct response to the guest lawfully requesting documentation. These communications are preserved verbatim in AirBnB's messaging system.
Submitted damage evidence included: a photo of a glass so dark and blurry no damage is visible; sheet stains claimed before the sheets were washed; cushion damage with no before/after documentation; and a WiFi router already deteriorating and falling from the wall upon check-in — flagged immediately upon arrival.
The hosts cut the fiber optic internet service in the unit and then listed the cable as a damage line item to be billed. The guest offered to replace it at personal cost (market value: $9,900 COP at Homecenter San Juan). The offer was ignored. The disconnection appears retaliatory and the billing of it fraudulent.
Hosts repeatedly and explicitly pressured the guest to self-cancel an active reservation spanning March 12 to April 20. Self-cancellation would have triggered financial penalties against the guest. This constitutes deliberate manipulation of cancellation policies to cause economic harm.
A prior guest's published review on AirBnB references passport theft by these hosts. This has been referred to AirBnB's Trust & Safety team and noted in the Fiscalía denuncia. The guest also experienced missing personal documentation during their stay.
"So, I demand that you behave or else we will take legal action against you and file complaints with Airbnb and the competent authorities and request the cancellation of your current reservation for repeatedly violating Airbnb policies and Colombian laws. As for the invoices for the disastrous damage you left in the apartment, they will be sent when we have them and through the means defined by Airbnb."— "Manu" (Co-Host), AirBnB message thread — sent in direct response to a guest lawfully requesting an itemized bill, while simultaneously threatening future damage charges on a second unit the guest had just moved into
Evidence on Record
- Complete AirBnB message thread — exported and timestamped
- Screenshots of all relevant communications with date and time visible
- AirBnB Policy No. 1869 — Service Animal protections (cited and linked)
- Prior guest review referencing passport theft (preserved)
- AirBnB case escalation number and specialist correspondence
- Denuncia filed with Fiscalía General de la Nación, Seccional Medellín
- Formal requests for AirBnB to preserve all host records pending investigation
A formal denuncia has been filed with the Fiscalía General de la Nación (Seccional Medellín) under Articles 244, 246, and 347 of the Colombian Penal Code. All facts presented on this page are drawn exclusively from documented communications preserved within AirBnB's official messaging system. This page constitutes a factual public disclosure and is protected speech. No claims herein are fabricated or embellished.