The mastermind behind a 10-year bribery scheme that brought down dozens of senior Navy officials, the largest corruption scandal in U.S. military history, was sentenced Tuesday to 15 years in prison.
Leonard Glenn Francis, known as “Fat Leonard,” was also ordered to pay $20 million in restitution to the Navy and fined $150,000 for his role in the scandal, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. It is said that he was punished.
The 350-pound fraudster must forfeit $35 million in “illicit proceeds of crime.”
Francis, 60, a former military defense contractor, bribed dozens of Marines with cash bribes of up to $500,000, luxury meats such as “Kobe beef” and “Spanish piglets,” designer handbags and watches. He admitted to providing lavish gifts such as, and even prostitutes. He made deals with officials and defense contractors in exchange for classified information, and helped his business win bids for military contracts for warships.
Glen Defense Marine Asia, a 6-foot-3 Lug Singapore-based contractor, supplied food, water, fuel, tugs and sewage treatment to the naval vessel.
However, Francis “routinely” overcharged his company's goods and services and “defrauded the U.S. Navy of tens of millions of dollars” using inside information obtained through bribes.
“Leonard Francis enriched his own pockets while undermining the integrity of the U.S. Navy,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “The effects of his deception and manipulation will be felt for a long time, but justice was served today.”
He was also sentenced on Tuesday for fleeing the country.
The fraudster was first arrested in 2013 and pleaded guilty to bribery and fraud charges in 2015 and was sentenced to up to 25 years in prison.
While awaiting sentencing in San Diego, Francis was hospitalized and treated for kidney cancer and other medical problems and was allowed to remain under house arrest in a rented home with a GPS ankle monitor and a security guard.
But three weeks before he was scheduled to be sentenced in September 2022, he cut off his monitor and fled the United States, sparking a massive international manhunt.
Officials said Francisco fled California to Mexico, then to Cuba and eventually ended up in Venezuela.
A 16-day international search for “Fat Leonard” ended when Interpol detained him in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas as he tried to board a flight to Russia.
He remained in the South American country until December 2023, after which he was extradited to the United States in a prisoner exchange with Venezuela.
“Although I cannot undo the harm I caused, I have dedicated much of the past 11 years since my arrest to accepting full responsibility and assisting the government in its investigation,” Francis told the judge. It is said that 10 News San Diego.
“In addition to betraying the trust of the court and the government, I deeply regret letting the children down.”
Before his escape and after his arrest in 2013, Francisco provided government investigators with “detailed information about hundreds of sailors, from petty officers to admirals, including financial records, photographs, receipts, and Navy contract documents,” according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. “I have submitted the following.” .
His information led to the investigation of nearly 1,000 naval officers, including 91 admirals.
Federal prosecutors have filed criminal charges against 34 defendants, including several senior Navy officials, using information Mr. Francisco provided to authorities while in U.S. custody.
Despite securing more than 30 convictions and guilty pleas, the case was controversial because prosecutors withheld key evidence from defense attorneys during the trial.
District Judge Janice L. Sammartino found former lead prosecutor Mark Pletcher guilty of “clear misconduct” during the trial of five Navy officers.
Four officers were initially convicted, but the convictions were overturned.
Mr. Sammartino agreed that they would plead guilty to misdemeanor charges and each pay a $100 fine.
Other naval officers who had pleaded guilty to felonies were also allowed to have their charges reduced to misdemeanors.
with post wire
