U.S. Army Employee Pleads Guilty to $108M Fraud

Janet Yamanaka Mello admits to using stolen funds for luxury purchases, faces up to 125 years in prison.

Janet Yamanaka Mello, a U.S. Army employee, pleaded guilty to stealing $108 million in Army funds to purchase luxury items, including jewelry, clothing, cars, and homes.
Mello was accused of defrauding the government through her organization, CHYLD, which allegedly provided no services despite receiving funding.
The funds were used to buy 31 real estate properties, about 80 vintage high-performance cars and motorcycles, and luxury-brand packages from companies like Coach, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton.
Mello faces a maximum sentence of 125 years in prison, with each mail fraud count carrying a 20-year maximum jail sentence and five years for tax fraud.
The U.S. government is investigating the properties under her name and plans to recoup money by seizing them, along with more than $18 million found in six bank accounts.