Texas Woman Accused of Stealing $100 Million From Army Youth Program and Spending It on 31 Homes and Aston Martins - NewsBreak
Janet Yamanaka Mello allegedly defrauded a grant program involving the 4-H youth development organization for nearly seven years
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Texas Woman Accused of Stealing $100 Million From Army Youth Program and Spending It on 31 Homes and Aston Martins
By Bruce Golding,
20 hours ago
Janet Yamanaka Mello allegedly defrauded a grant program involving the 4-H youth development organization for nearly seven years
A Texas woman is accused of single-handedly adding more than $100 million to the U.S. military budget — by allegedly defrauding the Army and spending the money on luxury homes, vintage sports cars, pricey jewelry and clothing.
Janet Yamanaka Mello, 57, of San Antonio, was working as a civilian financial program manager at Fort Sam Houston when she allegedly came up with a scheme to siphon funds from a grant program involving the nonprofit 4-H youth development organization.
In December 2016, she formed a business called Child Health and Youth Lifelong Development, then allegedly "played on the trust she had developed over the years with her supervisors and co-workers" to get sign-offs for payments to it, according to a 10-count indictment.
The scam wasn't uncovered for nearly seven years, at which point Mello had allegedly amassed a real estate portfolio of 31 properties in Texas, Colorado, Maryland, New Mexico and Washington, according to court papers.
Real estate listings show they include a $3.1 million mansion with eight bedrooms, 12 bathrooms and 55 garage spaces on a sprawling, 58-acre compound in Preston, Maryland.
Another $2.3 million home with four bedrooms and six bathrooms sits on 35 acres in Castle Rock, Colorado.
Mello also allegedly built a fleet of 78 vehicles, including 16 Harley-Davidson motorcycles that range in age from a 1911 7 Single to a 2021 Pan America, as well as five Triumphs, four Ducatis, two BMWs and a 1955 Ferrari Fratelli 165 Racer.
A 1966 Ford Mustang like the one seen here is among the 78 vehicles that Janet Yamananka Mello, 57, allegedly bought with more than $100 million stolen from the Army during a nearly seven-year fraud scheme. National Motor Museum/Heritage Images/Getty Images
In addition, court papers list a 2018 Maserati GranTurismo sports car, a 1954 Chevrolet Corvette, a 1966 Ford Mustang, five Mercedes-Benzes and two Aston Martins .
More than $18 million in cash was also seized from six bank accounts linked to Mello, according to authorities.
Mello was arrested in December on five counts of mail fraud, four counts of engaging in criminal transactions and one count of aggravated identity theft .
If convicted as charged, she would face a maximum of 142 years in prison.
Mello was released without bail and has a Jan. 19 deadline to strike a plea deal or face jury selection and trial on Feb. 12, according to court records.
In a Wednesday email, defense lawyer Albert Flores told The Messenger, "It is very early in the case and I expect the evidence to be extensive. We will need time to review it. I do not believe that the case will be resolved by those initial dates."
Flores declined to comment further.
The U.S. attorney's office for the Western District of Texas, which is prosecuting the case, didn't immediately return a request for comment.
people are so dumb. If you gonna steal, at least make it worthwhile. Mansions and harley davidsons 