Trinity Bankruptcy Deepens Waldrop Investigation

What had long been a series of separate construction disputes eventually converged in federal bankruptcy court.

In Part 3A of her investigative series, writer Zee Wilcox examines the collapse of Trinity Design & Build, the Fort Worth construction company owned by Corey Waldrop.

Her latest report traces years of lawsuits, liens and payment disputes before three creditors filed an involuntary Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition against Trinity on Oct. 7, 2024.

Homeowners Jonica Willingham, Christina and Hunter Allen, and contractor DFW Concrete Pros LLC filed the petition. Trinity fought the petition, arguing that the creditors’ claims were disputed and telling the court in an Oct. 29 filing that the company was solvent.

The case continued through discovery and trial.

On April 18, 2025, the bankruptcy court granted the involuntary Chapter 7 petition, and ordered Trinity’s assets turned over to a trustee to address outstanding debts. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram independently reported the bankruptcy outcome as part of its investigation into Waldrop and his businesses.

Wilcox places that bankruptcy within a longer paper trail dating to 2016. Her report cites homeowner lawsuits, contractor and supplier liens, reported civil judgments and a $358,016 federal tax lien against Waldrop and his wife.

The Star-Telegram separately found that more than $900,000 in mechanic’s and materialmen’s liens had been claimed since 2019 against properties connected to Waldrop’s construction and development work. Some liens were later paid or released, and Waldrop disputed several claims.

Wilcox is careful not to treat every filing as proof of wrongdoing. A lien is a claim, a lawsuit contains allegations, and the bankruptcy order does not establish that every accusation made by homeowners or contractors was true.

Waldrop has denied improperly commingling project funds and has said many of the disputes stemmed from disagreements over workmanship, accounting or unfinished work. He also challenged the completeness of financial information reviewed by an accountant who testified for the bankruptcy petitioners.

For Benbrook residents, the investigation matters because Waldrop’s Motiv Ventures later pursued the proposed Rowan Ranch development near Mary’s Creek. Residents raised concerns about Waldrop’s legal and financial history during the development debate.

Part 3A stops short of the criminal allegations. Wilcox says Part 3B will examine the separate Parker County investigation, arrest, and indictment.

The distinction matters. This installment is about what the civil and bankruptcy records show, what creditors alleged, how Waldrop responded, and how years of separate disputes eventually reached federal court.

Read Zee’s full story.