Nationwide — Christopher and Raquelle Judge, a couple from Fort Worth, Texas, have been sentenced for their roles in a multimillion-dollar home-building scam that left families with unfinished and sometimes unlivable houses. Raquelle was sentenced to one month in federal prison, while Christopher must serve six and a half years. Both pleaded guilty after prosecutors said their company took nearly $5 million from customers for construction and remodeling projects that were left unfinished or poorly completed.
The couple was sentenced on Sept. 1 after admitting to conspiring to commit wire fraud through Judge DFW LLC. Raquelle will also serve three years of supervised release after prison, while Christopher will serve two years. Together, they were ordered to pay $2,794,680.73 in restitution to 20 families who lost money in the scheme. Once they are released, they must make minimum monthly payments of $100 toward the restitution.
Prosecutors said the Judges operated their home building and remodeling business between August 2020 and January 2023. They advertised custom architecture, construction, and interior design services at prices below those of other contractors. Customers paid large amounts upfront, but the work often did not reach completion. The couple eventually abandoned some projects and stopped communicating with homeowners, leaving some families with unfinished or unlivable properties.
According to People, court records showed that money from the business also went toward hundreds of thousands of dollars in personal expenses. The spending included about $27,000 in mortgage payments, $82,000 on Amazon purchases and roughly $10,000 on plastic surgery. One customer, Kristin Newman, 36, of Fort Worth, said she picked the couple after interviewing several contractors and being attracted to their “fresh” and “exciting” approach. Work on her Craftsman-style bungalow began in January 2022, but she said progress soon slowed. After making several large payments, she hired an outside inspector who gave her a “100-page report of everything that was wrong” with the construction. Newman said Christopher became more distant after she asked the couple to address the problems.
The case left Newman and other families facing major financial and housing problems. She said some victims had to live in RVs because their homes were not ready, while the Judges were spending money on cars, trips and other personal expenses. Newman’s family is entitled to $175,000 in restitution, but she said she does not expect to recover the money quickly. With nearly $3 million owed to victims, she estimated that full repayment could take “three lifetimes.”
Newman said the sentencing gave her some closure, but she was disappointed by Raquelle’s one-month sentence. She said both spouses were involved in the scheme and questioned why their consequences were so different. Newman also noted that the judge considered the impact of prison time on the couple’s minor children. She said the victims’ children also suffered when families missed holidays or spent extended periods without proper homes. Christopher has since filed a notice of appeal challenging his sentence.