Marisa Simonetti, a 32-year-old aspiring Minnesota politician, was convicted of misdemeanor assault, harassment, and disorderly conduct for throwing a tarantula at her former housemate. The incident occurred in 2024 in Edina, when attorney Jacklyn Vasquez refused to leave Simonetti's home after her Airbnb stay. Simonetti, who represented herself at trial, blamed her inexperience for the guilty verdict.
In 2024, Marisa Simonetti hosted attorney Jacklyn Vasquez as an Airbnb guest in her Edina, Minnesota, home, a Minneapolis suburb. Tensions escalated as Vasquez allegedly refused to leave, sent lengthy accusatory texts about a spider infestation and internet issues, and made threats including to ruin Simonetti's political career, according to Simonetti's account to KMSP-TV and KARE. Simonetti blocked Vasquez, citing concerns for her son's safety, and later drew inspiration from the film Home Alone to evict her. 'Unhinged got her out of the house,' Simonetti told KMSP-TV, describing herself as 'a silly goose' who solved problems creatively without physical harm. Vasquez allegedly barricaded herself in the basement after Simonetti canceled the booking and called police, who did not remove her. Simonetti then threw a tarantula at Vasquez, leading to her arrest after Vasquez summoned authorities. Vasquez reportedly used Simonetti's credit card for $350 in sex toys and threatened to 'make [Simonetti] look like an abuser' and 'flip this whole thing on [her].' Vasquez later stated, 'Look up the term litigation abuse. That's all I have to provide at the moment.' A six-member jury convicted Simonetti of the misdemeanors, as reported by the Minnesota Star Tribune. Representing herself after dismissing her lawyer, she said post-verdict, 'I was just outplayed.' Sentencing is scheduled for May 1. Simonetti, a twice-defeated Hennepin County Commissioner candidate eyeing a 2026 U.S. Senate run, filed a $28 million lawsuit pro se against Vasquez, Edina police, and Hennepin County prosecutors, alleging false arrest, due process violations, and campaign damage.
