By Carter Freemon
DALLAS — Charles Carrier, 67, the former president of a Dallas-based real estate firm, was sentenced Wednesday, Sept. 23, to 188 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors say Carrier used HomeVestors’ ‘We Buy Ugly Houses’ brand to solicit investments and intended to defraud more than 80 investors of nearly $40 million. Authorities allege he diverted investor funds to pay personal expenses.
The 188-month prison term, the equivalent of more than 15 years, was handed down in federal court and reflects the scale of what prosecutors described as a multimillion-dollar investment fraud scheme.
Victims in the case were recruited with pitches tied to the recognizable ‘We Buy Ugly Houses’ name, prosecutors said, an approach that allegedly lent credibility to the investment opportunities Carrier offered.
It was not immediately clear whether the sentence included a restitution order or what steps, if any, remain for investors seeking to recover losses. The criminal case concluded with Carrier’s guilty plea; victims may still pursue civil remedies.
The case highlights how trusted brand names can be used in allegedly fraudulent investment programs and underscores federal prosecutors’ focus on large-scale schemes that exploit investor confidence.
