A US army worker charged with stealing more than $100 million from a youth development program in Texas and using it to buy dozens of mansions and luxury cars has been sentenced to 15 years in prison. Janet Yamanaka Mello, 57, pleaded guilty in March to five counts of mail fraud and five counts of filing a false tax return. Mello was a financial manager who handled funding for a youth program at the Fort Sam Houston military base in San Antonio, Texas.
Police looking for two suspects who raped girl, 12, on roof of East Harlem Thomas Mathew Crooks' father breaks silence after Trump shooting Prosecutors said she created a fake organization called the Child Health and Youth Lifelong Development and used it to apply for grants through the military program. Court documents indicate that she received grants 49 times over six years and received around $108,917,749. Mello, who has been dubbed the "Gucci Goddess," used the money to buy mansions, more than 80 cars and over 1,500 pieces of jewelry.
“Janet Mello betrayed the trust of the government agency she served and repeatedly lied in an effort to enrich herself,” said US Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “Her actions reflect exactly the opposite of what it means to serve your country.” Mello also failed to accurately report millions of dollars in income for tax purposes, according to the US Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas.
"Mello's penchant for extravagance is what brought her down,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Lucy Tan of IRS Criminal Investigation's Houston Field Office. Desperate hunt for missing girl, 15, who vanished riding bike to aunt's house Woman shoots baby in stroller at point blank range before parents flee scene Discovery of multi-million dollar crystal meth lab leads to five arrests “We identified that her reported income was well below the lavish lifestyle she lived. As we uncovered the details, the criminal scheme grew, the dollar amount grew, and the reach of her spending grew.
” Prosecutors said Mello was able to steal so much because of her years of experience and expert knowledge of the grant program. Defense attorney Albert Flores said Mello is deeply remorseful. “She realizes she committed a crime, she did wrong and is very ashamed,” Flores told AP.
Flores said Mello hopes the items she bought with the money are sold to reimburse the government..
