A Texas influencer couple has pleaded guilty to scamming more than 40 homeowners out of nearly $5 million through fraudulent home renovation schemes.
Chris and Raquelle Judge, who promoted themselves online as a high-end remodeling team, promised clients expertly designed and beautifully renovated homes at below-market prices. Prosecutors say those promises were largely false.
According to court records, Chris Judge claimed he was a licensed architect, a statement investigators later determined was untrue. Victims allege the couple took large upfront payments and either performed substandard work or abandoned projects altogether.
Kristen Newman said she hired the Judges to build her dream home, but the experience quickly turned into a nightmare. She told investigators the couple stopped communicating and eventually walked away from the project.
Another victim, Lane Simmons, said he and his wife paid roughly $200,000 for renovations that were never properly completed. Simmons said the couple marketed themselves as a “Chip and Joanna Gaines–style” design team, but a contractor later found much of the work to be unsafe.
Prosecutors say the Judges used significant portions of the stolen funds for personal expenses, including mortgage payments and cosmetic procedures.
Christopher Judge now faces up to 20 years in federal prison. Sentencing details for Raquelle Judge have not yet been finalized.
