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A judge has denied a request from Janet Mello to keep her $4400 a month pension while she serves a 15 year prison sentence for stealing $108 Million from the army as reported by AlamogordoTownNews.org
Yamanaka Mello, the ex-civilian defense employee who ripped off nearly $109 million from the Army, will have to live without the bulk of her government pension while locked up.
At a hearing Tuesday in federal court in San Antonio, U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguezgranted prosecutors' request for the government to take 95% — or about $4,251 — of the $4,474.69 in monthly federal retirement benefits Mello receives from her 35-year career as a government employee. The money will be applied to the more than $140 million in restitution she was ordered to pay as part of her 15-year prison sentence.
Also at the hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristy Callahan told the judge that her office is still trying to recover $50 million that Mello stole.
Callahan had argued Mello, 58, shouldn't receive 95% of her pension while imprisoned given it's costing the government about $50,000 a year to incarcerate her.
"She's going to be in prison a long time," Rodriguez said to Mello's lawyer, Albert Flores. "Why does she need $4,400 per month in prison?"
"The answer is, she doesn't," Flores said.
The judge then granted Callahan's motion to take all but about $224 of Mello's monthly benefits. Mello will be able to use the 5% she's left with to pay for her commissary needs.
Mello fraudulently siphoned Army funds meant for youth development opportunities for military-connected children to her personal accounts, prosecutors said.
She was a financial program manager for the Army’s Installation Management Command, which is headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston. Mello worked in the G-9 Section that helps soldiers with recreation, morale and welfare services.
The only thing I have been able to confirm as true is that Donald J. Trump is POTUS.
There are 4 sites reporting the security fence story; deepnewz.com, nriglobe.com, english.mathrubhumi.com, and theteenmagazine.com.
Patchy rain nearby, with a high of 89 and low of 64 degrees. Partly Cloudy during the morning, thundery outbreaks in nearby during the afternoon, cloudy overnight.
It's sad that you can't see past New York ave. Mr. Edwards.
It’s honestly disappointing to watch grown adults, elected to serve the public, behave like cliques in a high school hallway.
Since the very beginning of this country as an independent nation, we have had an ever increasing concern and public assistance for the poor and down trodden. Which has since evolved in to a multi-trillion dollar industry (yes, it's an industry) of social welfare systems, until today we have reached a point where
This is hardly a story, both party's include unrelated amendments to bills all the time, just to see if anyone's paying attention.
There will most likely be a sell off of some federal lands in the near future.
It's just not going to be included on the One Big Beautiful Bill.
may the lord bless elizabeth macdonough, and give her strength and length of days.
as should always be the case, we should be thankful for the folks who answer the call and suit-up and do the hot - hard - and dangerous work of fighting these fires.
The negotiated cease fire is no reason to let our guard down, as Israel has already accused Iran of violating that cease fire just hours after it took effect.
I believe it's still a high probability for terrorism to occur with, or without Iran's blessing.
It's becoming more and more clear that the worst thing you can do for the environment is to listen to environmentalists.
The natural cycle of any pine forest is to grow, burn, repeat.