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.
"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, 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.
"There were families whose kids did not get Christmas for a year or two," Kalie Simmons, another victim of the Judges, construction projects – amassing a total of around $4.8 million in losses.
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.
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.