Airbnb host accused of defrauding guests during stay at Newnan home

NEWNAN, Ga. - A Newnan woman has been arrested and charged after police investigated claims she was defrauding customers who stayed at her Airbnb this past year.

According to the Newnan Police Department, the investigation started when a customer complained that a host was trying to charge him for missing stereo equipment after he stayed at her home here last summer. Police say the Airbnb host backed up her claim that the equipment was stolen with a police report she had filed with the company.

The only problem is, the police say the report is a fake, and she never reported the incident to them.

Police have charged 38-year-old Katherine Jensen with criminal attempt at theft by deception and forgery in the first degree.

They say Jensen had owned a Newnan bungalow on Melson Street and advertised it for rent on the Airbnb website.

Police say a Florida couple had stayed at the home in June and were surprised when Jensen filed a complaint with Airbnb accusing them of theft.

"Just the appearance of it doesn’t look anything like our reports," said Detective Taylor Dalton.

Police say during their investigation they discovered another guest had recently been charged $393 for moving furniture and deep cleaning. Once again, police say Jensen had filed a document with Airbnb, this time a receipt. Police contacted the cleaning company and say they learned the invoice was fake too.

They arrested Jensen again. The second time she was charged with theft by deception and forgery in the first degree.

Investigators would like to talk to anyone else who might have stayed and Jensen’s property.

Jensen no longer owns the property after selling it last fall, police say.

Additional charges are possible.