Hot Bench Season 5 Episode 179 Malicious $45,000 Scam?

On this episode of Hot Bench, a woman named Angelica is suing her former landlord for a malicious $45,000 scam. She claims that she was a model tenant and always paid her rent on time, but her landlord, Mr. Johnson, began to demand extra money from her for various reasons.

Angelica says that Mr. Johnson asked her for an extra $1,500 in rent when he found out that her boyfriend was living with her. She paid the money, but then Mr. Johnson asked for an additional $500 for a security deposit, which Angelica also paid.

Things took a turn for the worse when Angelica came home from work one day to find her apartment completely trashed. She says that someone had broken in and destroyed everything, including her clothes, electronics, and furniture. She immediately called Mr. Johnson, who told her to call the police and file a report.

Angelica says that Mr. Johnson then asked her for $3,000 in rent money to cover the repairs to the apartment. She was skeptical and asked for receipts, but Mr. Johnson never provided them. Angelica did end up paying him the money, but then he continued to demand more and more.

Angelica says that Mr. Johnson even went so far as to send her a letter claiming that she had damaged the apartment and owed him $10,000 for repairs. She knew this wasn't true and refused to pay, which is when Mr. Johnson threatened to evict her.

Angelica decided to move out of the apartment and is now suing Mr. Johnson for the $45,000 she says he scammed her out of. Mr. Johnson denies any wrongdoing and says that he never demanded any extra money from Angelica.

The Hot Bench panel consists of three judges: Judge Tanya Acker, Judge Patricia DiMango, and Judge Michael Corriero. They listen to both sides of the case and ask questions to try and get to the bottom of what really happened.

As the judges hear more about Angelica's experience, they begin to see some inconsistencies in her story. For example, why did she continue to pay Mr. Johnson even after he failed to provide receipts for the repair work? And why did she wait so long to file a lawsuit?

Mr. Johnson also presents evidence that he says proves he never demanded any extra money from Angelica. He shows the judges emails and text messages where Angelica is discussing the extra rent payments, which he says proves that they were agreed upon.

As the judges weigh the evidence, they must decide whether Angelica was the victim of a malicious scam or whether she is exaggerating her claims. The outcome of this case could have far-reaching implications for both landlords and tenants, so the judges must carefully consider all of the evidence before making their decision.

Overall, this episode of Hot Bench is a tense and dramatic courtroom showdown that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats. With so much money at stake, it's clear that both sides are determined to win the case at any cost.