I'd be nervous to steal so much as a paper clip from the United States Armed Forces. But this lady apparently felt a little bit bolder than that:
A Texas woman faces nearly 150 years in prison after she defrauded the US Army out of $100 million, allegedly using the funds to purchase over 30 homes, luxury cars and jewelry through the seven-year-long scheme.
Janet Mello worked as "a civilian financial program manager at Fort Sam Houston" and reportedly developed a program called "Child Health and Youth Lifelong Development," one that "provided services to military members and their families through the 4-H program."
(Spoiler alert: It didn't.)
The IRS took notice of Mello's doings when she submitted business filings that indicated "a $483 profit on a $2,152 revenue." That's the kinda thing that'll catch the eye on the taxman, folks.
Upon investigation, law enforcement allegedly learned that she "purchased 31 different real estate properties in Colorado, Maryland, New Mexico, Texas, and Washington," a total of 78 vehicles, and "millions of dollars worth of jewelry." One of her properties was valued at $3.1 million.
The woman 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."
Think they'll let her take all those cars to prison with her??
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