On Tuesday, prosecutors said that Charles “Todd” Hill, a 58-year-old man from California who starred in an HGTV remodeling competition series, Flip It to Win It, had been found guilty of real estate fraud and sentenced to four years in prison.
In 2014, Hill was known as “Mr. Flip It” on the program, and the media characterized him as hard-charging and charismatic.
That year, not long after the premiere of Flip It to Win It, Hill was sued by his ex-top backer. The investor claimed that the Los Gatos native had deceived him out of remodeling funds.
As Max Keech stated in his legal lawsuit, Hill allegedly took “money for work that was never performed,” fabricated financial records, and kept the profits for himself. He had previously backed over 90% of Hill’s flipping operations.
The former TV personality was found guilty of fraud and fined almost $10 million.
Following his release from jail, he must complete a decade of probation.
The con artist pleaded to severe white-collar enhancements and was found guilty of grand theft by plea on September 27, 2023, against all victims.
According to Prosecutor Oanh Tran, who spoke with ABC7, an 18-home Ponzi scheme was one of Hill’s many frauds.
The DA’s office said he stayed under the radar while conducting the Ponzi scheme because he diverted investor funds earmarked for property purchases to pay for his extravagant lifestyle.
Hill proceeded to fabricate balance statements and get loans using bogus information to conceal the crime.
He formed a business with an investor’s money and then used his complete control over the company’s finances to launder the money.
He said that he would use the funds intended for home renovations to buy expensive automobiles, take extravagant trips, and throw wild parties, but the aim was to buy cheap houses, fix them up, and then sell them for a profit.
Hill embezzled almost $6 million from Max Keech, one of his victims, after the con artist filed false invoices and altered financial documents.
The prosecution stated in a press release that one of the victims had paid $250,000 to renovate the house, but upon arrival, they discovered the home in ruins and no signs of any progress.
Prosecutors said that some victims were still suffering financial and professional damages after Tuesday’s sentence session, so Hill was remanded into jail without delay.
