OAN's Avril Elfie
3:12pm – Thursday, January 11, 2024
A Texas woman is accused of stealing more than $100 million in funds from the U.S. military and using the money to purchase luxurious personal items.
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According to a press release issued by the Department of Justice on Wednesday., 57-year-old Janet Yamanaka Mello, currently faces more than 140 years in prison. Melo previously set up a fake business called “Child Health and Adolescent Lifelong Development'' to illegally save funds she stole from the military.
“Melo [allegedly] “She stole more than $100 million in Army funds by regularly submitting fraudulent documentation indicating that organizations she controlled were eligible to receive funds from the Army,” they said.
Melo founded a fraudulent business, Child Health and Youth Lifelong Development (CHYLD) in 2016, claiming to provide services to military service members and their families through the 4-H program.
The 4-H military program “focuses on the positive development of youth by providing opportunities to engage youth in intentional learning experiences,” according to the report.
But in 2017, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) reported that Mello's company was listed on his personal tax return as a profit of $483 on revenue of $2,152. She had not filed taxes for CHYLD since 2017.
Melo had purchased 31 different properties in Colorado, Maryland, New Mexico, Texas, and Washington.
One of the properties she purchased is an eight-bedroom, 12-bath mansion in Preston, Maryland, on 58 acres with 55 garage spaces and valued at $3.1 million, the outlet reported. It is said that it was.
Another of her big-ticket purchases was a $2.3 million, four-bedroom, six-bathroom home on 35 acres in Castle Rock, Colorado.
In addition to the amount of real estate he was acquiring, Melo also acquired a 1955 Ferrari Fratelli 165 racer, 16 Harley-Davidsons, 5 Triumphs, 4 Ducatis, 2 BMWs, a 2018 Maserati GranTurismo, He also reportedly purchased 78 cars, including a 1954 Chevrolet. Corvette, 1966 Ford Mustang, five Mercedes-Benzes, and two Aston Martins.
They also took over six different bank accounts associated with Melo, which held a total of $18 million, authorities said.
Mello was arrested in December and charged with five counts of mail fraud, four counts of financial transactions in excess of $10,000 using the proceeds of crime, and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Mello has since been released without bail, and the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas is currently awaiting word on whether Mello will accept a plea deal by January 19th.th or proceed with jury trial and selection on February 12thth.
If Melo is convicted, he faces up to 142 years in prison.
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