Ms. Thibodeau could not use the tickets because they were bogus.
Ken sent her facsimiles of tickets.
Judge Judy stated that Ms. Thibodeau needed to prove Ms. Johnson's complicity.
This was a key turning point in the case.
Ms. Thibodeau needed to show Ms. Johnson was part of a conspiracy.
Simply being an intermediary was not enough.
Unintelligible Evidence
Ms. Thibodeau presented written communication.
She claimed it showed Ms. Johnson's complicity.
Judge Judy examined the document.
She found it unintelligible.
Judge Judy stated the writing was "so not English."
She could not understand anything in it.
The document did not suggest Ms. Johnson was aware of Ken's scam.
Judge Judy noted Ms. Thibodeau had circled four-letter words.
These words made no sense in the context they were written.
There was no evidence in the document suggesting Ms. Johnson knew about the scam.
Ms. Johnson's Defense
Ms. Johnson maintained she was also a victim.
She reiterated that her mother also bought bogus tickets from Ken.
She said her mother lost $1,500.
Ms. Johnson claimed she was "snookered, too."
She stated Ken did the same thing to her parents.
Ms. Johnson implied they both lost money.
Judge Judy's Advice
Ms. Thibodeau asked if a friend who was trusted with money should help get it back.
She asked if they should fight about it.
Judge Judy reminded Ms. Thibodeau that she asks the questions.
Judge Judy told Ms. Thibodeau that the DeSoto Police Department was the only one who could help her.
She stated Ms. Thibodeau came to the wrong place.
Ms. Thibodeau needed to file a criminal complaint against Ken for fraud.
Ms. Thibodeau stated the police told her she could not file a complaint for fraud.
She was told she could only file if Ken used her credit card to purchase the ticket.
Ms. Thibodeau said Ken did not use her credit card.
Judge Judy questioned where those police officers went to law school.
Judge Judy affirmed that Ms. Thibodeau was defrauded out of money.
However, Ms. Thibodeau had no proof that Ms. Johnson was responsible.
The Verdict
Judge Judy concluded that Ms. Johnson acted as an intermediary.
Ms. Johnson was doing Ms. Thibodeau a favor.
Ms. Johnson trusted Ken to get tickets for her own mother.
Ms. Johnson also lost money.
Without proof of Ms. Moriah Johnson's complicity in a conspiracy, Giovanni Thibodeau would not get her money back from Ms. Johnson.
The judge advised Ms. Thibodeau to pursue a criminal complaint against Ken for fraud with the DeSoto Police Department.