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Texas Couple Labeled Fake ‘Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Admits $5M Dream Home Renovation Scam
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 U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, Christopher and Raquelle Judge, a married couple from Fort Worth, admitted to carrying out an elaborate scheme to deceive customers through their home renovation business, Judge DFW LLC, between August 2020 and January 2023.
The pair billed themselves as a one-stop shop for custom architecture, interior design, and construction services, luring customers through social media while falsely claiming Christopher was an experienced architect.
Federal prosecutors revealed the couple would present clients with below-market bids to secure building contracts, before starting projects that were never finished and ultimately left victims with incomplete residences. In the town of Runaway Bay, Christopher Judge reportedly received a total of 424 citations for code enforcement violations, which ultimately led to the FBI taking up the case.
Plea documents indicate the Judges defrauded over 40 victims throughout six Texas counties, involving at least 24 different construction projects. Court documents showed the pair commingled victims’ payments in their primary business account, amassing a total of around $4.8 million in losses.
The couple reportedly spent the money on mortgage payments, living expenses, and even plastic surgery while evading questions from their victims regarding delays in construction and incomplete projects. “If it’s too good to be true, it’s probably not true,” said Roper, a former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas.
Last month, Christopher Judge pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and faces up to 20 years in federal prison. Raquelle Judge also pleaded guilty, facing a maximum sentence of five years. The pair is scheduled to be sentenced separately later this year, according to federal prosecutors.
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