How a Texas Power Couple Scammed Customers out of $5M

A husband and wife in Fort Worth have both recently pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud after it was revealed that they schemed against local customers to receive nearly $5 million for home building and remodeling projects.

$5M Scammed Out of Customers in Texas

In a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Northern District of Texas, two managing members of the Texas limited liability company, Judge DFW LLC, admitted that they lied to customers when it came to custom construction and interior design services.

The pair, a married husband and wife, admitted that between August 2020 and January 2023, they "conspired to defraud consumers" by offering custom home services that they never actually completed, the release states.

In addition, the duo also lied to their clients by claiming that the husband was an architect.

How Did the Scams Work?

The way in which the couple would defraud their customers was that they would charge below-market prices for build contracts, but after receiving multiple installment payments, they would never actually finish the job.

40 victims were identified in the wire fraud conspiracy across six counties in North Texas. The schemes also spanned roughly 24 different projects that were partially completed.

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In total, about $4.8 million was allegedly lost during these three years the fraud was being committed.

Punishments for the Conspiring Couple

On December 30, the husband pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He faces up to 20 years in prison. His wife, who pleaded guilty over one week earlier on December 17, faces a maximum of just five years in federal prison.

The prison sentences are in addition to the fees the couple must pay in penalties and restitution to their victims.

You can read more about the investigation as well as when each of their sentencing dates are scheduled on the U.S. Attorney's Office press release webpage.