‘Fat Leonard,’ Navy contractor behind one of the military’s biggest scandals, sentenced to 15 years

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Former subject defense contractor Leonard “Fat Leonard” Francis was sentenced Tuesday to 15 years successful situation for masterminding a decade-long bribery strategy that swept up dozens of U.S. Navy officers, national prosecutors said.

U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino besides ordered Francis to salary $20 cardinal successful restitution to nan Navy and a $150,000 fine, according to a connection from nan U.S. Attorney’s Office. He was besides ordered to forfeit $35 cardinal successful “ill-gotten proceeds from his crimes,” nan connection said.

Prosecutors said nan condemnation results from Leonard’s first blameworthy plea successful 2015 concerning bribery and fraud, his extended practice pinch nan authorities since then, and different blameworthy plea Tuesday for failing to look for his original sentencing proceeding successful 2022.

Shortly earlier he was owed to beryllium sentenced successful September 2022, Leonard trim disconnected a GPS show he was wearing while nether location apprehension and fled nan country. He was later arrested successful Venezuela and brought backmost to nan U.S. successful December 2023.

Sammartino sentenced him to much than 13 1/2 years for nan bribery and fraud charges positive 16 months for failing to appear, to beryllium served consecutively.

“Leonard Francis lined his pockets pinch payer dollars while undermining nan integrity of U.S. Naval forces,” U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath said successful Tuesday’s statement. ”The effect of his deceit and manipulation will beryllium agelong felt, but justness has been served today.”

Prosecutors said Francis’ actions led to 1 of nan biggest bribery investigations successful U.S. subject history, which resulted successful nan condemnation and sentencing of astir 2 twelve Navy officials, defense contractors and others connected various fraud and corruption charges.

An enigmatic fig who was 6-foot-3 and weighed 350 pounds astatine 1 time, Francis owned and operated his family’s vessel servicing business, Singapore-based Glenn Defense Marine Asia Ltd. aliases GDMA, which supplied food, h2o and substance to vessels. The Malaysian defense contractor was a cardinal interaction for U.S. Navy ships astatine ports crossed Asia for much than 2 decades. During that time, Francis wooed naval officers pinch Kobe beef, costly cigars, performance tickets and chaotic activity parties astatine luxury hotels from Thailand to nan Philippines.

In exchange, officers, including nan first active-duty admiral to beryllium convicted of a national crime, concealed nan strategy successful which Francis would overcharge for supplying ships aliases complaint for clone services astatine ports he controlled successful Southeast Asia. The officers passed him classified accusation and moreover went truthful acold arsenic redirecting subject vessels to ports that were lucrative for his Singapore-based vessel servicing company.

In a national sting, Francis was lured to San Diego connected mendacious pretenses and arrested astatine a edifice successful September 2013. He pleaded blameworthy successful 2015, admitting that he had offered much than $500,000 successful rate bribes to Navy officials, defense contractors and others. Prosecutors opportunity he bilked nan Navy retired of astatine slightest $35 million. As portion of his plea deal, he cooperated pinch nan investigation starring to nan Navy convictions. He faced up to 25 years successful prison.

While awaiting sentencing, Francis was hospitalized and treated for renal crab and different aesculapian issues. After leaving nan hospital, he was allowed to enactment retired of jailhouse astatine a rental home, connected location apprehension pinch a GPS ankle show and information guards.

But 3 weeks earlier his scheduled sentencing successful September 2022, he snipped disconnected his show and made a brazen escape, mounting disconnected an world search. Officials said he fled to Mexico, made his measurement to Cuba and yet sewage to Venezuela.

He was arrested much than 2 weeks aft his disappearance — caught earlier he boarded a formation astatine nan Simon Bolivar International Airport extracurricular Caracas. Venezuelan officials said he intended to scope Russia.

The cases were handled by nan U.S. Attorney’s Office successful an effort to beryllium independent of nan subject justness system. But they person came nether scrutiny.

The felony convictions of 4 erstwhile Navy officers were vacated pursuing allegations of prosecutorial misconduct. Sammartino agreed to let them to plead blameworthy to a misdemeanor and salary a $100 good each.

Last year, Sammartino ruled that nan lead national charismatic successful nan officers’ lawsuit committed “flagrant misconduct” by withholding accusation from defense lawyers, but that it was not capable to disregard nan case.