Aaron Judge, the New York Yankees captain, felt tricked. According to the Tampa Bay Business Journal, he and his wife Samantha claim that a Tampa Bay-area interior designer scammed them of $750,000 by adding hidden charges to bills for improvements to their Tampa house and New York City apartment.
Christina Georgacopoulos of the Tampa Bay Business Journal stated that they filed a lawsuit against the interior designer on January 28.
Judge, like many other players whose teams have spring training facilities in Florida, has made his primary residence there since 2014. The claim is based on modifications to a property purchased in the Tampa Bay area in late 2022, around the time he agreed to a $360 million contract to return to the Yankees.
“The Judges estimate Amanda Drew of Drew Designs LLC billed them $750,000 in extra hidden costs, but the full amount they were overcharged is undetermined due to Drew’s alleged refusal to hand over receipts, according to a complaint filed in Hillsborough County Circuit Court on Jan. 28,” says Georgacopoulos.
The report provided an example of an overpayment: a $33,000 couch. The Judges said it could be acquired for $22,5000, or as little as $18,100 with a discount. They also alleged she added a 20% cost to services provided by a general contractor in Tampa. The lawsuit claims Drew anticipated they would be “too busy to notice” her overcharges and “could afford to overpay.”
Judge had a very busy January. He missed the annual BBWAA awards event, when he was supposed to accept his 2024 American League MVP trophy, since he and his wife were expecting their first child “any day.” The Judges announced earlier this month that they were expecting a girl. The Yankees’ first team practice for spring training will take place on February 17.
