Texas 'Chip and Joanna' Imitators Plead Guilty in $4.8M Home-Renovation Fraud
Federal prosecutors in the Northern District of Texas say Christopher and Raquelle Judge of Fort Worth have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud after running a home‑construction and renovation scam through their company Judge DFW LLC from August 2020 to January 2023. The couple used social media to market themselves as a one‑stop shop for custom architecture, design and construction — with clients comparing their pitch to HGTV’s Chip and Joanna Gaines — while falsely claiming Christopher was an experienced architect and offering below‑market bids to win contracts. Prosecutors say they took installment payments from more than 40 clients across six Texas counties for at least 24 projects, left homes partially built or uninhabitable, and diverted roughly $4.8 million into their business account to cover their own mortgage, living expenses and even plastic surgery. In Runaway Bay alone, Christopher Judge racked up 424 code‑enforcement citations before the FBI took over the case, and victims describe being pushed into bankruptcy and skipping Christmas for their children as money vanished and projects stalled. Christopher faces up to 20 years and Raquelle up to five years in federal prison at separate sentencings later this year, underscoring both the scale of contractor fraud that flourished during the pandemic housing boom and the limits of local code enforcement before federal agents stepped in.
📌 Key Facts
- Christopher and Raquelle Judge of Fort Worth pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in federal court in the Northern District of Texas.
- Prosecutors say they defrauded more than 40 homeowners on at least 24 projects across six Texas counties, causing about $4.8 million in losses.
- The Judges allegedly used social media to pose as HGTV‑style renovation stars, offered below‑market bids, left homes unfinished, and spent client funds on their mortgage, living expenses and plastic surgery.
- Christopher Judge faces up to 20 years in prison and Raquelle Judge up to five years at sentencings scheduled for later this year.
📊 Relevant Data
Baby boomers are the most likely demographic to fall victim to contractor scams, with 15% reporting victimization, followed by millennials at 13%.
Home Improvement Contractor Scams: The Red Flags to Watch for — U.S. News
Black, Hispanic, and Asian adults are more likely than White adults to have experienced multiple forms of online scams or attacks, though there are no differences in experiencing at least one.
Online Scams and Attacks in America Today — Pew Research Center
In Texas, 55% of Black renter households are cost-burdened (spending more than 30% of income on housing), compared to 53% of Latino households and 43% of White households.
The State of Housing Affordability in Texas: Out of Reach — Texas Homeless Network
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