Victims share stories of North Texas couple accused of construction fraud

EULESS, Texas - Victims of a multi-million home fraud scheme are coming forward with their stories.

They say the couple came off as credible, with legit construction and remodeling videos posted across social media. It turned out to be a large-scale scam with dozens of victims.

Euless property left unfinished

For more than 30 years, Chelle Bish’s family has lived on their property in Euless. She told FOX 4 in an interview that they moved into the home in 1992, when her children were young.

 A few years back, Chelle and her husband changed things up. They decided to sell the home to their daughter and her husband, allowing the property to become a multi-generational place to raise their children.

That change involved a $200,000 remodeling project — one that has yet to be completed after doing business with a recently arrested North Texas couple.

The incomplete project mirrors stories of dozens of families, all of whom say they worked with Chris and Raquelle Judge.

North Texas wire fraud

Prosecutors say the Judges used social media under the business name Judge DFW to carry out their scheme.

They promised below-market prices, vowing to be completed in four to six months. They’re now facing federal prison time for their actions. 

Chris Judge describes himself as an architect. Federal investigators, however, say he’s not an architect, and while claiming to be one, he and his wife scammed more than 40 North Texas families of nearly $5 million related to incomplete custom-home building and remodeling projects.

In 2022, the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners warned Judge that he was violating the administrative code by referring to himself as an architect. Judge, however, was already well into his scheme, convincing dozens of families to pay him for home construction projects.

Victims tell their stories

What they're saying:

"There were families whose kids did not get Christmas for a year or two. There were families that filed bankruptcy," said Kalie Simmons, another victim of the Judges.

Jeremy Congleton says he hired the Judge’s company to design and construct his family’s home in Decatur, but the Judges never finished it. His family lost around $250,000. 

"We did have to file bankruptcy. And you know, we’re dealing with that for another five years," said Congleton.

His two daughters, excited to live in a new home, were instead forced to live with him and his wife in a camper for 18 months.