"Fat Leonard" sentenced to 15 years in massive Navy bribery case

Leonard Glenn Francis, a erstwhile defense contractor convicted for masterminding an unprecedented bribery and fraud strategy targeting nan U.S. Navy, was sentenced Tuesday successful national tribunal to 15 years successful prison. He was ordered to salary $20 cardinal successful restitution and a $150,000 fine, nan Department of Justice announced.

Francis, known arsenic "Fat Leonard," pled blameworthy successful 2015 to nan bribery and fraud charges, but fled nan U.S. successful 2022 leaving his GPS ankle monitoring bracelet successful a h2o cooler just days earlier he was to beryllium sentenced. The U.S. Marshals Service told CBS News Francis was detained connected an Interpol reddish announcement astatine Simon Bolivar International Airport successful Venezuela while boarding a formation to Cuba. 

He was returned to nan U.S. past twelvemonth arsenic portion of a ample captive switch woody pinch Venezuela. Ten American detainees were released successful nan 2023 woody successful speech for nan Biden administration freeing Alex Saab, a Colombian-born businessman and adjacent state of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro who was facing money laundering charges.

Leonard Francis, besides known arsenic "Fat Leonard," fled location apprehension successful 2022, days earlier he was owed to beryllium sentenced successful a monolithic Navy bribery scheme. U.S. Marshals Service via AP

In a 2015 plea agreement, Francis, nan Malaysian proprietor of a vessel servicing institution successful Southeast Asia, identified 7 Navy officials who had accepted bribes and acknowledged paying disconnected officials pinch hundreds of thousands successful cash, arsenic good arsenic luxury equipment worthy millions. 

He supplied them pinch prostitutes and Cuban cigars, luxury travel, Spanish suckling pigs and Kobe beef. Officials received spa treatments, top-shelf alcohol, designer handbags, leather goods, designer furniture, watches, fountain pens, ornamental swords and handmade vessel models, according to tribunal documents.

In exchange, officers gave him classified accusation and moreover redirected subject vessels to lucrative ports for his Singapore-based vessel servicing company. Francis, according to prosecutors, overcharged nan U.S. subject by $35 cardinal for his company's services.

Over 30 Navy officers and contractors person either been convicted aliases pleaded blameworthy to charges related to Francis' services.

On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino sentenced Francis to a 164-month condemnation for bribery and fraud and 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," said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath successful a statement. "The effect of his deceit and manipulation will beryllium agelong felt, but justness has been served today."

Francis, 60, was initially arrested in San Diego connected September 16, 2013, and remained successful pretrial custody until December 18, 2017, erstwhile nan tribunal granted his petition for merchandise pending sentencing owed to a aesculapian condition, nan Department of Justice said. Francis served 4 years and 3 months successful custody earlier he was released connected enslaved and ordered into location arrest. He remained connected enslaved nether nan supervision of U.S. Pretrial Services for almost 5 years, from December 17, 2017, until he escaped.

"Mr. Francis' sentencing brings closure to an expansive fraud strategy that he perpetrated against nan U.S. Navy pinch assistance from various Navy officials. This fraud conspiracy yet costs nan American payer millions of dollars and weakened nan public's spot successful immoderate of our Navy's elder leaders," Kelly P. Mayo, nan head of nan U.S. Department of Defense Office of Inspector General said successful a news merchandise connected Tuesday. 

In:
• Corruption
• Pentagon
• Navy