A millionaire con artist has been accused of defrauding the US military of $100 million over six years by pouring money into her fake military youth company and lavishing it on 31 homes and more than 70 supercars and motorcycles.
Janet Yamanaka Mello, 57, is accused of stealing military funds and spending millions of dollars on jewelry, clothing, luxury vehicles and real estate in one of the largest fraud cases the military has ever faced.
Mello worked for the U.S. Army at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas as the CYS financial program manager.
In 2016, she allegedly created a shell company, Child Health and Youth Lifelong Development, which she fraudulently used to collect money from the 4-H military partnership grant.
The company, which was intended to help the children of military personnel, would never have done anything like that. Instead, it received only dozens of cash grants – without research – over six years.
Janet Yamanaka Mello, 57, is accused of taking military funds and spending millions of dollars on bling jewelry, clothing, luxury vehicles and real estate in one of the largest fraud cases the military has ever faced
Mello’s $3.1 million property in Preston, Maryland. She regularly filed fraudulent paperwork and deposited grants into her fake company a total of 40 times over a six-year period, securing more than $100,000,000 for herself, court documents allege.
This is Mello’s $2.3 million estate in Castle Rock, Colorado
This house was listed as one of the properties that had to be seized. It cost Mello $1.1 million and is located in San Antonio, Texas
Mello also owns this $870,000 home in Lakewood, Colorado. Mello had amassed a portfolio of homes in Texas, Maryland, Colorado, Washington and New Mexico – all of which, prosecutors allege, she bought with the defrauded money.
Now Mello has nearly 80 vehicles and 31 properties in five states that have been forfeited. Federal prosecutors allege she lived a life of luxury and opulence that was clearly not supported by her $130,000 per year government salary.
She reported that her company CHYLD earned a profit of $483 in 2017 on revenue of $2,152 for training consultations. But she hasn’t filed a tax return since.
She regularly filed fraudulent paperwork and deposited grants into her fake company 40 times, raking in more than $100,000,000 for herself, documents allege.
Transaction records show she transferred $264,874 from the account last year to buy herself a 2023 Land Rover Range Rover.
She also sent herself $3,308,157 to buy property in Canyon Lake, Texas, the documents state.
The court listed a total of 78 luxury cars and motorcycles owned by Mello and ordered the assets to be forfeited. Among them are countless Maseratis, Ferraris, Aston Martins, Mercedes, Teslas, Harley-Davidsons and Land Rovers.
In addition to the vehicle assets, they have listed 31 of her properties. These span multiple states – with mansions worth more than $3 million, ranches, vast acres of farmland, and luxury high-rise apartments and condos.
Mello had amassed a portfolio of homes in Texas, Maryland, Colorado, Washington and New Mexico – which, prosecutors allege, she bought with the defrauded money.
Mello worked for the US Army at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas as a CYS Financial Program Manager – where she was reportedly able to transfer funds to her shell company
Mello also owns a 2003 Aston Martin Vanquish
Among her seized collection is a 1955 Ferrari Fratelli
Documents also claim Mello has six bank accounts, with at least $32,000 in each account.
The IRS noted that her lifestyle — buying multimillion-dollar homes several times a year — was not supported by her salary.
Their criminal investigation department worked with military investigators to put the pieces together — before Mello was criminally charged in December 2023.
On December 6, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Texas said a federal grand jury in San Antonio had imposed 10 indictments on Mello.
The statement read: “Mello claimed that CHYLD provided services to military members and their families, when in reality CHYLD provided no services whatsoever.
“The indictment alleges that Mello instead used the money to purchase millions of dollars worth of jewelry, clothing, vehicles and real estate. In addition, Mello is said to have forged the digital signature of one of its executives several times.’
Mello is charged with five counts of mail fraud, four counts of initiating a monetary transaction of more than $10,000 using criminally obtained proceeds, and one count of aggravated identity theft.
The San Antonio woman faces a 20-year prison sentence for each fraud charge, 10 years for each expenditure change charge, and a mandatory minimum sentence of two years for the identity theft charge.