Outrageous demand from jailed ‘Gucci Goddess’ who stole $100 million from military for mansion and supercars

A Texas woman who defrauded the military of more than $100 million has demanded she keep her Army pension.

Janet Mello, 58, is serving a 15-year prison sentence for stealing $109 million from the military, where she worked as a financial manager.

Mello, known as the “Gucci Goddess,” is now fighting to keep her $4,475 monthly government pension as federal prosecutors try to seize the payments in restitution.

Prosecutors have said she doesn’t need 95 percent of her pension of roughly $50,000 a year, while the government provides her living expenses in prison.

They suggest she keep just 5 percent of her benefits — about $224 a month, for “her commissary needs.”

Janet Mello, 58, is serving a 15-year prison sentence for stealing $109 million from the military, where she worked as a financial manager

“Mello unlawfully enriched herself by fraudulently transferring Army funds intended for meaningful youth development opportunities for military-connected children into her personal accounts, prosecutors said in court, as reported by the San Antonio Express-News.

“Accordingly, it is appropriate that the United States offset the monthly annuity it pays her, while also bearing the costs of her captivity and seeking to recoup its losses.”

Mello retired after her house was robbed in August 2023. An Army spokesman said the Army was legally obligated to allow her to retire even though she was under investigation in a federal case.

Mello founded a shell company in 2016 before diving into multiple McMansions, 82 supercars, motorcycles and flashy designer jewelry over the course of six years.

Mello with her husband outside the courthouse in July

Mello bought several houses with the stolen money, including the house pictured above

The San Antonio resident swindled money from a youth development program for children in military families to fund her extravagant lifestyle.

She pleaded guilty in March to five counts of mail fraud and five counts of filing a tax return.

During the latest hearing in San Antonio, prosecutors explained how Mello made lavish purchases as part of the massive fraud, including spending $923,000 on jewelry in one day in 2022.

She was working as a civilian employee at Fort Sam Houston when she started stealing money in 2016.

Mello was a financial manager who arranged funding for a youth program at the military base and determined whether grant money was available.

She founded a fraudulent group called Child Health and Youth Lifelong Development, prosecutors said.

U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza said Mello “violated the trust of the government agency she served and lied repeatedly in an effort to enrich herself.”

Prosecutors explained how Mello made lavish purchases during a massive six-year scam, including spending $923,000 on jewelry in one day in 2022

Mello used the money to buy millions of dollars worth of real estate, clothing, luxury jewelry and 82 vehicles, including a Maserati (pictured), a Mercedes, a 1954 Corvette and a Ferrari Fratelli motorcycle.

“Instead of $109 million in federal funds going to the care of military children around the world, she selfishly stole that money to purchase extravagant homes, more than 80 vehicles and more than 1,500 pieces of jewelry,” Esparza told the court .

Attorney Albert Flores countered that Mello is deeply remorseful. “She realizes that she has committed a crime, that she has done something wrong and is very ashamed,” he said.

Flores added that Mello has kept many things she bought with the money and hopes the items will be sold to repay the government.

Prosecutors said Mello used the fake organization she created to apply for grants through the military program.

Prosecutors said Mello used the fake organization she created to apply for grants through the military program. (Photo: Mello with her husband outside the courthouse)

Mello embezzled money from a youth development program for children in military families and used it to finance her extravagant lifestyle – including several mansions (one photo)

She filled out more than 40 applications over six years and illegally received nearly $109 million, Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Simmons wrote in a court document asking that Mello be sentenced to more than 19 years in prison.

Mello used the money to buy millions of dollars worth of real estate, clothing, luxury jewelry and 82 vehicles, including a Maserati, a Mercedes, a 1954 Corvette and a Ferrari Fratelli motorcycle.

Officers executing a search warrant in 2023 found many of the vehicles with dead batteries because they had not been used for so long, Simmons wrote.

Prosecutors said Mello was able to steal so much because of her years of experience, expert knowledge of the grant program and the trust built among her supervisors and colleagues.

“Mello’s penchant for extravagance is what brought her down,” said Lucy Tan, acting special agent in charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation field office in Houston.