Texas Woman Sentenced to 15 Years for Stealing $109 Million from Military Youth Program

A Texas woman, Janet Yamanaka Mello, 57, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for embezzling nearly $109 million from a youth development program designed for children of military families. Mello, who pleaded guilty to multiple counts of mail fraud and filing false tax returns, created a fraudulent organization named Child Health and Youth Lifelong Development to siphon funds intended for military children. U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez presided over the sentencing, emphasizing the severity of her actions. Prosecutors revealed that Mello misappropriated the funds to finance a lavish lifestyle, which included purchasing multiple mansions, a fleet of luxury vehicles, and an extensive collection of designer jewelry. The extravagant purchases included 82 vehicles, such as a Maserati, a Mercedes, and a vintage Corvette. Investigators noted that many of these vehicles were found with dead batteries, indicating they had not been used for an extended period. Defense attorney Albert Flores expressed that Mello feels deep remorse for her actions and has retained many of the items bought with the stolen money, hoping they can be sold to reimburse the government. Despite the defense's claims of her good character, prosecutors highlighted Mello's extensive knowledge of the grant program and her ability to exploit trust among her colleagues as key factors in her fraudulent scheme. A co-worker, Denise Faison, defended Mello in a letter to the judge, describing her as a kind and caring person. However, the court's decision reflects the serious nature of Mello's crimes and the impact on the intended beneficiaries of the stolen funds.