Southwest
Texas couple labeled fake ‘Chip and Joanna Gaines’ admits $5M dream home renovation scam
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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 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 over fake renovation projects. (Chris And Raquelle Judge/Instagram)
“They came out to our house… and really pitched themselves as like this Chip and Joanna Gaines type of vibe,” Lane Simmons, one of the Judges’ clients, told WFAA.
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 was slapped with a total of 424 citations for code enforcement violations, which ultimately led to the FBI taking up 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. Raquelle Judge also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which has a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. (Chris And Raquelle Judge/Instagram)
“There were families whose kids did not get Christmas for a year or two,” Kalie Simmons, another victim of the Judges, told FOX 4. “There were families that filed bankruptcy.”
Plea documents indicate the Judges defrauded over 40 victims throughout six Texas counties, involving at least 24 different construction projects.
Court documents also showed the pair commingled victims’ payments in their primary business account, often pulling installment payments from individuals to fund unrelated construction projects – amassing a total of around $4.8 million in losses.
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Federal prosecutors say the pair then 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.
“You just need to be careful about who you give the money to,” Roper, a former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, told FOX 4. “If it’s too good to be true, it’s probably not true.”
“You gotta 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. Raquelle Judge also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which has a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
Fox News Digital was unable to immediately locate Christopher Judge’s attorney for comment. Raquelle Judge’s attorney did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
The pair is scheduled to be sentenced separately later this year, according to federal prosecutors.
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Los Angeles, Ca
Loved ones search for missing 34-year-old Southern California woman
Loved ones are searching for a 34-year-old Southern California woman who has been missing for over a week.
Amy Lynn Edmonds, 34, was reported missing on June 28, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said.
Edmonds, who is considered at-risk, was last seen walking away from Coast Plaza Hospital in Norwalk.
She is 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 140 pounds. She has brown eyes and brown hair. She was last seen wearing a blue jacket and was carrying a black backpack.
It’s unclear where she may have been heading when she disappeared.
Authorities said Edmonds has mental health and medical issues that require medication. Neither hospital staff nor loved ones have heard from her since and they are concerned for her well-being.
Anyone who may know Edmond’s whereabouts or has information on the case can call LASD’s Missing Persons Detail at 323-890-5500.
Anonymous tips can be provided to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.
Los Angeles, Ca
Waymo video could determine charges after teens’ bizarre California ride
Police are still waiting for video from Waymo before deciding whether two teenagers accused of drinking alcohol and firing an Orbeez gun from inside one of the company’s self-driving vehicles could face additional charges, a San Mateo police spokesperson told KTLA.
The incident unfolded around 2:10 p.m. Monday when a Waymo representative contacted the San Mateo Police Department to report suspicious behavior inside one of the company’s autonomous vehicles.
“The Waymo rep who contacted us told us they saw what they described as a firearm in the vehicle, described it black in color, and at some point believed that the passengers were firing it outside of the vehicle,” Community Relations Officer Janine Luna said. “Even at one point saying they believed they saw a recoil.”
The representative also reported that the passengers appeared to be intoxicated and had an open bottle of alcohol inside the vehicle, Luna said.
Believing they were responding to reports of a firearm being fired from a moving vehicle, officers coordinated with Waymo to conduct what police described as a high-risk traffic stop.
Luna said Waymo remotely disabled the vehicle in a location where officers could safely respond. The company then informed the passengers that the vehicle was experiencing mechanical problems while officers made their way to the scene.
Although the vehicle was disabled, its doors remained unlocked and the passengers could have exited if they wanted to, Luna said. Instead, they stayed inside until officers arrived, cleared the vehicle and detained the occupants.
Investigators later determined the suspected firearm was an Orbeez gun, a motorized toy that fires water-filled gel pellets.
While Orbeez guns are legal to possess, Luna said the one recovered by officers had been partially painted black, making it appear more like a real firearm.
“We’ve been seeing that a lot, where people are taking BB guns, water guns, toy guns, completely painting them over, and then in a lot of cases they actually do really look like real guns,” she said.
Police said no injuries or property damage have been reported, and no victims have come forward.
The two passengers, both 15 years old, were released to their parents and were not arrested, Luna said.
Authorities have already forwarded the underage drinking allegation to the juvenile district attorney for review. However, investigators are still waiting to receive Waymo video before deciding whether to recommend any additional charges.
“We’re still waiting to receive that video to determine what, if anything, they’ll be charged with,” Luna said. “Obviously it’s a water gun or toy gun. It’s not illegal to carry, but depending on shooting from a moving vehicle, there’s some of that that can come into play.”
Luna said this was the first time the San Mateo Police Department had handled an incident in which Waymo contacted officers in real time to report suspicious activity inside one of its vehicles.
The incident comes just weeks after another high-profile Waymo incident in Southern California. In late June, several teens were seen hanging out of the windows of a self-driving Waymo as it traveled through Santa Monica traffic. Waymo later told KTLA those riders’ accounts had been suspended for violating the company’s user agreement.
Luna also urged parents to keep an eye on their children during summer break and reminded the public not to alter the appearance of toy guns to make them resemble real firearms.
“We want to give our kids freedom to have fun and enjoy their time off from school,” Luna said. “But because they’re not in school, just keep an eye on them. Make sure you know where they’re at. Make sure you know who they’re hanging out with.”
Iman Palm and Aaron Tolentino contributed to this report.
Los Angeles, Ca
Bicyclist killed by hit-and-run driver in Long Beach
An investigation is underway after a bicyclist was killed by a hit-and-run driver in Long Beach.
On July 6, Long Beach police responded to a crash near Cowles Street and Santa Fe Avenue just after 2:30 a.m.
Officers found the victim, a man in his 50s, lying unresponsive on the roadway. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver who struck him fled the area before officers arrived.
A preliminary investigation indicated the bicyclist was riding westbound on Cowles Street when he was struck by an unknown vehicle that turned onto Cowles from Santa Fe Avenue.
The victim’s name is being withheld pending positive identification by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.
No further details, including a suspect or vehicle description, were released.
Anyone who witnessed the crash or has information on the incident is urged to call the Long Beach Police Department’s Collision Investigation Detail at 562-570-7355.
Anonymous tips can be provided to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.
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