The crown jewel in Mello’s real estate portfolio is this 58-acre property with eight bedrooms, 12 bathrooms, and a climate-controlled garage designed to showcase a museum-caliber automotive collection. (The scam artist’s 80 cars and motorcycles included two Aston Martins, four Ducatis, Maseratis, Ferraris, and 16 Harley-Davidson motorcycles.)

The brick manor has a double-staircase foyer, a kitchen with top-of-the-line appliances, and a primary suite with an outdoor balcony—likely with a view of the 40-by-20-foot, heated, saltwater infinity pool.

In addition to this sprawling compound, Mello owns two more properties on Harmony Road—4208 Harmony Road is a 19.61-acre lot, and 4228 Harmony Road is a house on a 20-acre lot (both of which appear to be included in the $3.1M purchase price). 

The Washington properties

Though Mello worked in San Antonio, she purchased homes and land across the U.S., which could have helped her elude capture.

“She bought homes in many different locations, so that would not necessarily be questioned as she was dealing with title and escrow agents in different areas of the country or states,” says Ameer.

In addition to her Maryland properties, she had holdings in at least five states. Here’s a look at some of her purchases.

The Washington state properties

She also picked up an 11-acre lot in Kitsap, WA, in Central Puget Sound just outside of Seattle, for $320,000 in August 2017.

The Colorado properties

5524 Lemon Gulch Rd, Castle Rock, CO

Purchased for $2.3M in October 2022

What does a scam artist with homes on the East and West coasts need? Apparently, a home in the Rocky Mountain state. Mello nabbed the property above in Castle Rock, CO, a town just outside Denver, 6,224 feet above sea level.

But why have one Colorado property when you can have two? In June 2023, the fraudster also snatched up an $870,000, five-bedroom, five-bath home in Lakewood, CO.

The New Mexico property

2 Sugar Maple, Mayhill, NM

Purchased for $289,688 in August 2013

No 31-property portfolio is complete without an A-frame hideaway nestled among pine trees. At least that might be what Mello thought when she bought this cozy, 1,558-square-foot, two-bedroom, two-bath home with plenty of perches to take in the cool breezes and forest sunrises.

The Horseshoe Bay, TX, properties

Mello seemed to favor homes with gorgeous views. One of her favorite places, where she appeared to own at least 11 properties, was in Horseshoe Bay, TX.

Situated on Lake Lyndon B. Johnson and a branch of the Colorado River, the region is a favorite spot for retirees west of Austin, TX. The area is known for its white-sand beaches, water sports, and golf courses.

While purchase prices on most of Mello’s Texas properties remain unknown, what we do know is that two condos right on Horseshoe Bay anchor Mello’s holdings in the area.

101 W Bank Unit 56, Horseshoe Bay, TX

Walk-in closet? Check. Ten-foot ceilings? Check. Amazing view? Check. The two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo is in a complex with bay views for days.

98 Island Dr. Unit 41, Horseshoe Bay, TX

The second Horseshoe Bay apartment Mello purchased was more modest in size—a one-bedroom, one-bath tucked into 806 square feet. However, the complex comes with amenities, including a landscaped pool. 

The disgraced Mello also owned a 2,545-square-foot, single-family home on a .27-acre lot in the Horseshoe Bay area.

But wait, there’s more: land, so much land.

Bay West Blvd, Horseshoe Bay, TX 

In addition to the plot of land above, Mello bought plots in communities yet to be built. Holdings included two lots in the Blazing Star Community, two in the Spider Valley community, one in Sunshine, and one in Uplift Bay.

Practicality probably drove Mello’s decision to snatch up so much empty property.

“Owning vacant land is pretty inexpensive, and taxes tend to be lower,” says Ameer. “There’s less accountability when you just have a vacant lot sitting there versus a home.”

Seems like Mello has plenty of land by now, right? Nope, there’s one more .37-acre, still-to-be-developed lot she bought in May 2018 on Fault Line Dr, Horseshoe Bay, TX.

Other Texas properties

You know what they say in Texas: Go big or go home. And Mello took a real “When in Rome” approach here.

She sank more stolen funds into Texas land with a 1,650-square-foot home in Canyon Lake, TX, another leisure hotspot. Court documents reveal Mello sent herself $3,308,157 to purchase this property.

Another purchase is a 4.38-acre lot with an estimated value of $610,723 in Gonzales, TX.

Let’s pause and take stock of the fraudster’s holdings so far: an entertainer’s dream in Maryland, a home on a golf course in Washington, a ranch-style home in Colorado, an A-frame forest retreat in New Mexico, and a few waterfront condos.

Is there anything missing? Yep—a farm.

40454 FM 3159, New Braunfels, TX 

This 158-acre lot came with a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house that was last sold for $4,582,000 on New Year’s Eve 2022.

In addition to the pastoral property above, Mello plunked down funds for a $1.1 million home on Verde Mountain Trails in San Antonio.

5190 Graytown Rd, Schertz, TX

Hiding $100+ million is not easy, so Mello also sank funds into the 1.5-acre lot above, as well as a 22.7-acre lot at 11080 Ware Seguin Rd, Schertz, TX, for $81,250 in June 2018 and a 2.97-acre lot at 973 Mystic Parkway in Spring Branch, TX (pictured below). 

What’s next for Mello?

If Mello is found guilty of fraud, she has agreed to forfeit her holdings. The government will likely sell the properties to recoup the millions Mello embezzled.

But she won’t lose everything. Even though she is accused of the biggest fraud ever committed in San Antonio, the military can’t withhold her full retirement benefits. Why? In accordance with 5 U.S. Code Section 8312, an individual can be denied retirement pay if they are convicted of treason, rebellion or insurrection, or other similar offenses; but no similar denial exists for other crimes.