Former Civilian Employee Accused Of Scamming Army Out Of $100 Million

Also: Army Civilian Employee Indicted in San Antonio for Alleged $100 Million Fraud Scheme (U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Texas)

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Source: HuffPost

Former Civilian Employee Accused Of Scamming Army Out Of $100 Million

Prosecutors say Janet Yamanaka Mello used fraudulently obtained grant money to buy dozens of luxury properties and a fleet of over 70 cars and motorcycles.

By Kelby Vera
Jan 11, 2024, 04:21 PM EST

A former civilian employee is accused of defrauding the Army of over $100 million, which she used to buy expensive jewelry, over 70 vehicles and dozens of posh properties.

Last month, Janet Yamanaka Mello, 57, was indicted on 10 counts: five counts of mail fraud, four counts of wiring criminally obtained money and one count of aggravated identity theft, the Department of Justice said in a statement. Mello pleaded not guilty to the charges.

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Court documents obtained by HuffPost outline how Mello set up a shell company, Child Health and Youth Lifelong Development, to obtain dozens of 4-H Military Partnership grants from 2016 to 2022.

The 4-H Military Partnership “focuses on positive youth development through providing opportunities for youth to engage in intentional learning experiences,” according to its website. The grant program is funded by the Army, Navy and Air Force and involves the U.S. Agriculture Department.

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Read more: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/texas-woman-allegedly-defrauded-us-army_n_65a01d2fe4b0fbd2bc05ff63

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Source: U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Texas

Army Civilian Employee Indicted in San Antonio for Alleged $100 Million Fraud Scheme

Wednesday, December 6, 2023
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Texas

SAN ANTONIO – A federal grand jury in San Antonio returned an indictment today charging a San Antonio woman with 10 counts related to a fraud scheme she allegedly conducted while working as a civilian financial program manager at Fort Sam Houston.

According to court documents, Janet Yamanaka Mello, 57, allegedly stole more than $100 million in Army funds by regularly submitting fraudulent paperwork that indicated an entity she controlled, Child Health and Youth Lifelong Development (CHYLD), was entitled to receive funds from the Army. Mello claimed that CHYLD provided services to military members and their families, when, in reality, CHYLD did not provide any services. The indictment alleges that Mello instead used the funds to buy millions of dollars in jewelry, clothing, vehicles, and real estate. Additionally, Mello is alleged to have falsified the digital signature of one of her supervisors on multiple occasions.

Mello is charged with five counts of mail fraud, four counts of engaging in a monetary transaction over $10,000 using criminally derived proceeds, and one count of aggravated identity theft. She is scheduled for her initial court appearance Dec. 14 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry J. Bemporad of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. If convicted, Mello faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each fraud charge, up to 10 years in prison for each spending statute charge, and a mandatory minimum of two years in prison for the aggravated identity theft charge. The indictment also includes a notice of forfeiture for the proceeds and property that Mello obtained as a result of the criminal conduct alleged. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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Read more: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdtx/pr/army-civilian-employee-indicted-san-antonio-alleged-100-million-fraud-scheme