[email protected]

A Denver man found himself indicted on federal fraud charges in an $8.5 million vacation rental scam on Airbnb and Vrbo that not only allegedly defrauded thousands, but also racially discriminated against guests, in 10 states over several years. Shaunik Raheja, 34, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Thursday, alongside Miami resident Shray Goel, 35, on claims that the pair ran “a double-booking, bait-and-switch scam” through online marketplaces Airbnb and Vrbo. Deceptive vacation rental listings and phony…

The 287-unit luxury Platform at Union Station apartment building in Lower Downtown sold for $125.5 million to Griffis Residential in what is said to be one of the largest multifamily property transactions in metro Denver in 2023. The 21-story building at 1650 Wewatta St. was built in 2015, directly adjacent to Union Station. Holland Partner Group in Vancouver, Wash., developed the apartment building. City records listed Union Station Investors LP in New York as the former owner. The deal closed Dec. 29. “Platform at Union…

It’s been 10 years since Colorado launched the first legal recreational marijuana market in the world and became a pioneer in drug reform. But when it came to the nascent industry, the first sales on Jan. 1, 2014, were more a starting block than a finish line. In the decade since legalization, Colorado has refined laws, catalyzed new ones and served as a litmus test for the rest of the country as states followed its lead. Today, cannabis is recreationally available for sale in 24 states — where more than half of Americans…

The world’s first legal sale of recreational marijuana happened in Denver on Jan. 1, 2014. In fact, it happened twice. Mason Tvert was managing the onslaught of media that descended on the Mile High City to witness the historic moment, set in motion by the successful legalization campaign he’d led. So many camera crews and reporters showed up that morning that Tvert decided to rotate two groups through the dispensary’s sales floor — with each transaction billed as the first time anyone 21 or older could legally buy weed…

Colorado saw fewer work-related fatalities in 2022, bucking a trend that saw workplace deaths rise nationally, according to an update from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment on Thursday. Colorado recorded 89 worker deaths on the job last year, which is a 7.3% decrease from the 96 workers who died on the job in 2021, according to the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries program, which is a collaborative effort between the CDLE’s Office of Labor Market Information and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Last year,…

Fees — service fees, convenience fees, transfer fees, delivery fees, bank fees — are ubiquitous and, more and more, a standard part of commerce in the gig-age of the 21st century. Despite the pervasiveness of fees, they can still give consumers sticker shock. After clicking Apple Pay to buy that $25 late-night Grub Hub order, it turns into nearly twice that once tip is added — or when those $100 tickets to see that up-and-coming band quickly turn into $200 tickets. The impact on consumers’ wallets isn’t small. Take credit…

The first of Denver International Airport’s new, upgraded train cars pulled into the station Tuesday afternoon, more than two years behind schedule. Built by international train manufacturer Alstom, this car is one of 26 expected to arrive in Denver throughout next year, both to replace half airport’s current fleet and to add 10 cars to the roster, according to a Tuesday news release from DIA. “Passenger traffic at DEN is expected to reach more than 78 million by the end of this year alone, and 100 million annual…

Coloradan taxpayers can each expect an extra $800 back when they file their state income tax returns early next year, state officials said Wednesday. The refund is based on revenue collected above the cap set by the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, or TABOR, the state constitutional amendment passed by voters in 1992 to limit the growth of government. Unlike in 2022, when taxpayers received a check in the mail, people will collect the money through their tax filings in the form of higher refunds or reduced tax bills. Overall,…

The Platte Street building that serves as the headquarters of BP’s U.S. onshore oil and gas operations has sold, taking the title of Denver’s biggest office sale of 2023. The five-story Riverview building at 1700 Platte St. sold on Tuesday for $129.1 million, according to public records. CBRE marketing materials listed the building as 202,500 square feet, making the deal worth $637 a square foot. Texas-based Crescent Real Estate bought the building. The firm developed and still owns the Platte Fifteen building just down…

A nearly 4,000-square-foot home in Boulder’s Knollwood neighborhood sold for $8.3 million, topping November’s home sales in the Denver metro area. The 3,917-square-foot home with three bedrooms and four baths at 2200 block of Knollwood Drive was designed by Surround Architecture and constructed in 2019. Compass-Boulder listed the home for owner Todd Barrett for $8 million in September. Milehighmodern-Boulder represented the buyers, Robert Phares and Victoria Di Savino Phares. The home features high ceilings, wide-plank…