Janet Yamanaka Mello, who worked as a civilian financial program manager at Fort Sam Houston, has been accused of defrauding the US Army out of $100 million She allegedly created a business called “Child Health and Youth Lifelong Development” in 2016 to divert funds to herself.
Mello is said to have submitted fraudulent paperwork to receive funds from the Army, claiming that her business provided services to military members and their families However, instead of using the money for its intended purpose, she used it to fund her extravagant lifestyle.
Mello allegedly purchased 78 vehicles, 16 Harley-Davidson motorcycles, five Triumphs, four Ducatis, two BMWs and a 1955 Ferrari Fratelli 165 Racer. She allegedly also purchased a 2018 Maserati GranTurismo, a 1954 Chevrolet Corvette, a 1966 Ford Mustang, five Mercedes-Benzes and two Aston Martins. The properties she acquired include a mansion in Preston, Maryland valued at $3.1 million which had eight-bed 12-bath with 55 garage spaces on 58 acres and a home in Castle Rock, Colorado worth $2.3 million with four bedrooms, and six bathrooms on 35 acres.
Authorities seized over $18 million in cash from her accounts and she was arrested in December on charges of mail fraud, money laundering, and identity theft. If convicted, Mello could face a sentence of nearly 150 years in prison.