A lawsuit alleges that an Airbnb host attempted to extort a married guest by sharing security footage of him with another woman after he left a negative review of his stay.

Shawn Mackey, a resident of Mississippi, reserved a house titled ‘Little Bit More Country’ in Memphis for a weekend reunion with friends in the fall of 2022.

Mackey booked the accommodation for September 9 through 11 for himself and three guests, with intentions to possibly invite additional friends over for dinner. The property, featuring three bedrooms and two bathrooms, was rented at a rate of $567 per night.

However, a dispute arose when the host, Pamela Fohler, demanded an extra $960 fee, citing Mackey’s alleged violation of house rules and inviting more guests than initially agreed upon.

The situation escalated when Fohler allegedly retaliated against Mackey by emailing security camera footage of him with another woman to his wife.

Mackey denies the accusations and claims that only one extra guest arrived, and there was no partying or disturbance as alleged by Fohler.

Despite complying with Fohler’s requests to rectify the situation, including stripping beds and loading the dishwasher upon checkout, Mackey’s negative review of the property led to further harassment from Fohler, concerned about her status as an Airbnb ‘superhost.’

Following the negative review, Airbnb temporarily suspended Mackey’s account and threatened permanent termination, prompting him to defend himself against the allegations.

Allegedly, Fohler then sent Mackey photos of him with another woman, threatening to share them publicly if he did not comply with her demands.

Subsequently, Mackey received a bill from Airbnb for $960, which he refused to pay, leading to further harassment from Fohler, including setting up a fake email account in his name and emailing the incriminating photo to his wife.

Mackey alleges that Airbnb failed to support him in this situation, causing him emotional distress, public humiliation, and damage to his marriage.

In response to the lawsuit, Fohler denies sending the incriminating email and claims to have never corresponded with Mackey’s wife.

Mackey is seeking damages for economic loss, damage to his marriage, and emotional distress resulting from the invasion of his privacy.

As legal proceedings unfold, both parties are preparing their respective defenses, with Mackey facing a deadline to respond to motions filed by Fohler and Airbnb.