What Happened To Charles Todd Hill From HGTV's 'Flip It To Win It'?

Hey there, HGTV fans. If you’re scratching your head wondering where Charles Todd Hill, the charismatic host of Flip It to Win It, has been lately, here’s the scoop: the former home renovation guru is currently cooling his heels in a Santa Clara County, California jail. Yeah, it’s not exactly the life we imagined for a guy who used to make flipping houses look so easy on TV. Charles was sentenced to four years behind bars for a string of financial and real estate frauds that shocked his fans and left 11 victims out of pocket to the tune of almost $10 million.

So, Where’s Charles Todd Hill Now?

Right now, Charles is locked up in Santa Clara County, California. Back on April 22, 2024, he was sentenced to four years in jail after pleading guilty to grand theft. Deputy District Attorney Oanh Tran from the Major Fraud Unit announced the sentence in a press release. Charles didn’t waste any time before beginning his sentence—he was taken straight to jail after the court appearance. It’s a far cry from the glitz and glamour of HGTV, isn’t it?

What Exactly Did Charles Todd Hill Do Wrong?

Let’s rewind to November 2019 when Charles was first indicted. An investigation by the district attorney's office revealed a shocking web of deceit. For those who tuned into Flip It to Win It, the premise was simple: buy run-down homes, renovate them, and sell them for a profit. Sounds straightforward, right? But according to the DA’s office, Charles wasn’t playing by those rules. Instead, he was accused of spending millions on over-budget renovations, laundering profits, and pocketing millions of dollars that didn’t belong to him.

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But it gets worse. Charles was also accused of diverting construction funds for his own personal use. There’s one story about a $250,000 investment from an unsuspecting investor. The plan was to renovate a home, but when the dust settled, the house turned out to be a burned-out shell with no work done. Not exactly the dream renovation HGTV viewers were hoping for.

It wasn’t just his HGTV years that were marred by controversy. Before he even hit the TV screens, Charles was allegedly running a Ponzi scheme. Evidence showed he used laundered money to rent a luxury apartment in San Francisco, pay for extravagant vacations, and buy fancy cars. District Attorney Jeff Rosen summed it up pretty well when he said, “Some see the huge amount of money in Silicon Valley real estate as a business opportunity. Others, unfortunately, see it as a criminal opportunity—and we will hold those people strictly accountable.”

When Did Charles Todd Hill Get Convicted?

Charles entered a guilty plea on September 27, 2023, to grand theft against all 11 victims. He even admitted to the aggravated white-collar enhancements. As part of his sentence, Charles was ordered to pay back $9,402,678.43 in restitution and serve 10 years on probation. The press release from the district attorney’s office made it clear that justice had been served.

What Was 'Flip It to Win It' All About?

Back in 2013, HGTV aired Flip It to Win It, featuring Charles Todd Hill as the host. The show brought together five teams of expert home flippers who would bid against each other for abandoned houses—without even seeing them first. Talk about high stakes! Each episode would feature three auctions, three house renovations, and finally, the houses would hit the market. The team that took the biggest risk, worked the hardest, and overcame the biggest challenges would be crowned the winner. It was a rollercoaster of emotions and a testament to Charles’s charm and expertise—before things took a turn for the worse.