She promised investors an easy windfall. Then it all came crashing down.
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The Lede
On a mild Tuesday evening in early 2022, some 150 people packed into the VFW hall in Tulsa to hear the Queen of Airbnb make her pitch. Post-pandemic, with interest rates low and travel once again booming, Airbnb listings had been popping up all over the city. For average investors, the back-of-the-napkin math was irresistible. Tulsa had the feel of a rental gold rush. And Dani Widell was the city's self-styled Queen of Airbnb.
Key Details
- A small-time real-estate investor turned Airbnb property manager, Widell claimed to be nearing a total of 100 listings, more than anyone else in Tulsa.
- Tax returns would later show that Widell Renovations was generating over $1 million in annual bookings.
- The sudden collapse — and the web of accusations that accompanied it — offer a cautionary tale of what comes from putting too much faith in a volatile market, an untested guru, and the promise of easy money.
