A Texas couple has pleaded guilty to federal charges after prosecutors revealed they used social media to defraud dozens of homeowners out of nearly $5 million under the guise of custom homes and renovations.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas Christopher and Raquelle Judge, a married couple from Fort Worth, admitted to running an elaborate scheme to defraud customers through their home renovation business, Judge DFW LLC, between August 2020 and January 2023.
The couple billed themselves as a one-stop shop for custom architecture, interior design and construction services, and lured customers through social media to advertise their business while falsely claiming Christopher was an experienced architect.
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Christopher and Raquelle Judge pleaded guilty to federal charges after prosecutors uncovered a nearly $5 million fraud scheme in which the couple scammed dozens of Texas homeowners on fake renovation projects.
(Fox News)
“They came out to our house… and really put themselves out there like this Chip and Joanna Gaines kind of vibe,” Lane Simmons, one of the Judges’ clients, he told WFAA.
Federal prosecutors revealed the couple would present clients with below-market bids to secure building contracts, before starting projects that were never completed and ultimately left the victims with unfinished homes.
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In the town of Runaway Bay, Christopher Judge was reportedly slapped with a total of 424 citations for code enforcement violations, ultimately leading to the FBI taking over the case.
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Christopher Judge pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and faces up to 20 years behind bars in federal prison. Judge Raquelle also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
“There were families whose children didn’t get Christmas for a year or two,” Kalie Simmons, another victim of the Judges, he told FOX 4. “There were families who filed for bankruptcy.”
Plea documents indicate that Judges defrauded more than 40 victims in six Texas counties, involving at least 24 different construction projects.
Court documents also showed that the couple commingled victims’ payments into their primary business account, often drawing installment payments from individuals to finance unrelated construction projects – totaling about $4.8 million in losses.
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Federal prosecutors say the couple then spent the money on mortgage payments, living expenses and even plastic surgery while dodging questions from their victims about construction delays and incomplete projects.
“You just have to be careful who you give money to,” Roper, former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, told FOX 4. “If it’s too good to be true, it probably isn’t.”
“You have to wonder what happened to the money,” Roper said.
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Last month, Christopher Judge pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and faces up to 20 years behind bars in federal prison. Judge Raquelle also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
Fox News Digital could not immediately reach Christopher Judge’s attorney for comment. Raquelle Judge’s attorney did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
The pair are scheduled to be sentenced separately later this year, according to federal prosecutors.
Original article source: Texas couple falsely labeled ‘Chip and Joanna Gaines’ admit to $5M dream home renovation scam