57-Year-Old Woman Swindles $100M from US Army, Buys Luxury Homes and Supercars

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• Janet Mello allegedly defrauded the U.S. Army out of $100 million, diverting funds meant for a military youth program.
• She used the money to buy 31 properties and 78 luxury vehicles, including brands like Maserati, Ferrari, and Aston Martin.
• Mello faces charges for mail fraud, engaging in criminal monetary transactions, and aggravated identity theft, with potential prison sentences amounting to decades.

Janet Yamanaka Mello, a 57-year-old former U.S. Army Financial Program Manager, has been indicted on multiple counts of fraud and theft, amounting to one of the most significant cases of military fraud in history.

Mello, during her tenure at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, is alleged to have misappropriated over $100 million from military funds. The funds, intended for a military youth program, were instead diverted to a shell company, "Child Health and Youth Lifelong Development," which Mello created in 2016. Despite claiming to support the children of army personnel, the firm allegedly never provided any real services.

The magnitude of the fraud is highlighted by Mello's extravagant expenditures. She is accused of using the stolen funds to acquire an extensive portfolio of luxury items, including 31 properties across Texas, Maryland, Colorado, Washington, and New Mexico, and a fleet of 78 high-end vehicles. These properties include mansions valued over $3 million and a wide array of luxury vehicles like Maseratis, Ferraris, Aston Martins, and a 2023 Land Rover Range Rover, amongst others. The federal court documents state that Mello also engaged in lavish spending on jewelry, clothing, and other luxury items far beyond the scope of her official salary of $130,000 per year.

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