SOMETIMES SPOUSE Christy Ogle Max Ogle Bankruptcy Filing
SOMETIMES SPOUSE: Christy Ogle, Max Ogle Bankruptcy Filing (Free Download). Christy Ogle claims Sometimes Spouse isn’t a franchise, yet she posts pictures of their “Franchisee Summit.” She claims she is a successful business ownership guru, yet she and her husband are petitioning for bankruptcy protection (for the 2nd time). Will the bankruptcy court enable Max & Christy Ogle to use a law designed for “honest but unfortunate debtors” to erase over $1.3M in financial obligations… and to continue selling legally questionable business opportunities?
(UnhappyFranchisee.Com) Christy & Max Ogle of Waco, TX continue to promote the Sometimes Spouse franchise opportunity. They post pictures of their “Franchisee Summit.” In the current Sometimes Spouse podcast, Christy Ogle introduces Amy Langford by stating that she owns the franchise for Lubbock, TX.
Yet Sometimes Spouse does not comply with franchise disclosure laws, nor do they provide prospects with a Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) as required of all franchise sellers by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Sometimes Spouse Owners Max Ogle & Christy Ogle Owe More Than $1.3M
On 1/28/20, Max James Ogle & Christy Lee Ogle filed for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Texas.
The Ogles claim they have just $87,000 in assets, which includes three vehicles worth $75,000 and $6000 cash in the Sometimes Spouse LLC bank account.
They claim they have 50-100 creditors and more than $1.6M in debts, including:
- Hillary & Brett Barton, Keith & Sheila P: $1,000,000.00
- Internal Revenue Service: $78,000
- Jesus Mendoza: $100,000.00
- Eric & Jackie Stiba: $35,000.00
- Regian Tools & Equipment: $35,000.00
- Kay Jewelers/genesis: $4,076.00
Sometimes Spouse Owners Max Ogle & Christy Ogle Lawsuits
Some of the debts to individuals appear to civil court judgements against them from several lawsuits (which would have to be disclosed to prospective franchise owners per the FTC Franchise Rule), including:
- Jesus Mendoza vs. Sometimes Spouse, Christina Ogle
Lawsuit McLennan Co. Case number 2018-505-4 - Barton v. Christina & Max Ogle
Business suit McLennan Co. Case number 20181289CV1 - Larson v. Ogle
Lawsuit McLennan Co. Case number 20171708CV2 - Evanston Insurance v. Ogle
Lawsuit McLennan Co. Case number 20181289CV1 - Sign Ad v. Ogle
Are Sometimes Spouse Owners Max Ogle & Christy Ogle “Honest but Unfortunate Debtors”? Or Should Their Bankruptcy be Denied?
According to USCourts.gov:
A fundamental goal of the federal bankruptcy laws enacted by Congress is to give debtors a financial “fresh start” from burdensome debts. The Supreme Court made this point about the purpose of the bankruptcy law in a 1934 decision:
“[I]t gives to the honest but unfortunate debtor…a new opportunity in life and a clear field for future effort, unhampered by the pressure and discouragement of preexisting debt.”
Bankruptcy laws were not enacted to provide dishonest or unscrupulous debtors a way to foil the legitimate collection demands of those who rightfully deserve to be paid.
They are also not put in place to enable those with illicit moneymaking schemes with an opportunity to continue the same business practices that put them in that situation in the first place.
Debts incurred by fraud or false pretenses are NOT dischargeable under Chapter 7 bankruptcy, and neither are those incurred through willful and malicious injury.
Creditors have the right to object to the discharge of the individual debts owed to them, or they may object to the entire Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection petition.
What do you think? Should those owed money by Sometimes Spouse, Max Ogle or Christy Ogle be stripped of their right to collect what’s legitimately owed to them?
Should Christy Ogle & Sometimes Spouse be allowed to promote a false success story and continue to recruit others into their scheme while their past victims, for some reason, remain silent?
Please share your thoughts on the bankruptcy petition of Sometimes Spouse founders Christy Ogle & Max Ogle with a comment below.
READ the Max & Christy Ogle Bankruptcy Documents:
Max James Ogle and Christina Lee Ogle Bankruptcy Petition 1/28/20 (PDF)
Notice of Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Case Western District of Texas Case number: 20-60063-rbk (PDF)
ALSO READ:
SOMETIMES SPOUSE Franchise – A Great Opportunity?
SOMETIMES SPOUSE No Longer Franchising Says CEO Christy Ogle
FRANCHISE DISCUSSIONS by Company
TAGS: Sometimes Spouse, Christy Ogle, Christy Ogle bankruptcy, Max Ogle, Max Ogle Bankruptcy, Crystal Stewart, illegal franchise, Waco TX, Sometimes Spouse lawsuits, franchise opportunity, franchise complaints, franchise, franchise opportunity, franchise complaints, unhappy franchisee .
Has there been any developments on how the hearing went?
The hearing gave creditors the chance to ask Christy Ogle and Max Ogle questions under oath.
For some reason, only one creditor group asked questions or spoke at all. That was Sally Regian of Regian Tools. She asked why there was no inventory for the Ogle’s Tools to the Max aka Nat’s Tool Shed listed in the bankruptcy filing. Christy Ogle stated, under oath, that there was inventory at the time of filing.
Not sure why the attorneys for the litigation group were not present. Or no Sometimes Spouse franchisees, especially those who sued, were not on the call to question some of the statements made by the Ogles. I hope there is some strategic reason that these attorneys remained silent, since any hopes of collecting awards could be affected. If there’s not, I hope you franchisees who are remaining silent on their advice will seriously reconsider. It’s frustrating when those with the truth on their side sit on their hands with their mouths closed while those who have done wrong are free to broadcast their version of things unquestioned.
Here are some things that Christy Ogle stated, under oath. When asked how many franchises Sometimes Spouse has, she said:
“Currently we have one because COVID-19 took us down… It’s in East Texas and it’s company owned”
How long have you been operating this particular business?
“One year.”
The trustee asked how many business names they’ve used in the past 5 years.
Christy: “Sometimes Spouse and Sometimes Partners. And Tools to the Max.”
Trustee: “OK. Anything else?”
Christy: “No, everything was run through those.”
Trustee: “Yeah, I’m not asking what was run through Sometimes Partners. I’m asking if you used other business names in the last 5 years.”
Christy: “Not that I can recall.”
Trustee to Max: “Sir? Same question.”
“No, nothing.”
In regard to Tools to the Max/Nat’s Tool Shed, the Trustee asked:
“At the date of filing, did ya’ll have inventory”
Christy: “We did not have inventory the date of filing.”
FYI the date of filing was 1/20/20
At her attorney’s prompting, Christy Ogle explained how their financial woes, failure to pay taxes and lack of financial statements more recent than 2017 are the result of their victimization by a former business partner. Here’s how Christy explained it, under oath, to the officer of a Federal Court in an official proceeding:
Christy: “We had a business partner. It was Max, I and [Partner]. She ran all the financials until about 6 months ago. And she did not do the financials correctly. And, so, we took the financials over… that’s how we got involved with [accounting firm _____ Brown & Hill] involved. She misappropriated hundreds of thousands of dollars of funds.”
Christy: “It’s a former partner. She did not file our taxes in 2018…
Trustee: “So, have you pursued any legal action against this partner?
Christy: “We haven’t because we’re still uncovering things. It’s been 7 years of uncovering things and going through every transaction for us and company owned franchises that we used to have… It’s been a tedious process…”
To adapt a famous quote by Edward Burke: “The only thing necessary for scammers to triumph is for their victims to remain silent.”
Staying silent because your attorneys advised you to is still staying silent… and attorney’s advice is just that: advice.
Any victims who don’t want to stay silent can contact ADMIN confidentially at UnhappyFranchisee[at]gmail.com