The mastermind behind the decade-long bribery scheme and one of the largest corruption scandals in US military history that brought down dozens of Navy officials has been sentenced to 15 years in prison Tuesday.
Leonard Glenn Francis, nicknamed “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 US Attorney’s Office.
The 350-pound crook must forfeit $35 million “in ill-gotten proceeds from his crimes.”
Francis, 60, a former military defense contractor, admitted to offering up to $500,000 in cash bribes, extravagant meats like “Kobe beef” and “Spanish suckling pigs,” luxury gifts including designer handbags and watches — and even prostitutes — to dozens of Navy officials and defense contractors in exchange for classified information that gave his business a leg up on bidding for military contracts to service ships.
The 6-foot-3 lug’s Singapore-based contracting company, Glenn Defense Marine Asia, supplied Navy vessels with food, water, fuel, tugboats, and sewage disposal.
However, Francis used the inside information he obtained through his bribes to “routinely” upcharge his company’s goods and services, “defrauding the US Navy of tens of millions.”
“Leonard Francis lined his pockets with taxpayer dollars while undermining the integrity of US Naval forces,” US Attorney Tara McGrath said. “The impact of his deceit and manipulation will be long felt, but justice has been served today.”
He was also sentenced on Tuesday for fleeing the country.
The scammer was first arrested in 2013, pleaded guilty to bribery and fraud charges in 2015, and faced up to 25 years in prison.
While he awaited sentencing in San Diego, Francis was hospitalized and treated for renal cancer and other medical issues and was allowed to stay on house arrest at a rental home with a GPS ankle monitor and security guards.
However, three weeks before he was scheduled to be sentenced in September 2022, he snipped off his monitor and fled the US, triggering a massive international manhunt.
Officials said Francis fled from California to Mexico, then made his way 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 attempted to board a flight to Russia.
He remained in the South American nation until Dec. 2023, when he was extradited to the US in a prisoner swap with Venezuela.
“While I cannot reverse the damage I’ve caused, I’ve spent much of the 11 years since my arrest committed to taking full accountability and assisting the government with its investigations,” Francis told the judge, according to 10 News San Diego.
“In addition to violating the trust of the court and the government, I regret so much that I let down my children.”
Before his escape and following his arrest in 2013, Francis provided government investigators “detailed information about hundreds of Sailors, from petty officers to admirals, and turned over financial records, photographs, receipts, and Navy contracting documents,” according to the US Attorney’s office.
His information brought nearly 1,000 Navy officers, including 91 admirals, under investigation.
Federal prosecutors brought criminal charges against 34 defendants, including several high-ranking Naval officers, using the information Francis provided to authorities while in US custody.
Despite securing over 30 convictions and guilty pleas, the case faced controversy when prosecutors were accused of withholding key evidence from defense attorneys during the trial.
District Judge Janis L. Sammartino deemed former lead prosecutor Mark Pletcher guilty of “flagrant misconduct” during the trial of five Navy officers.
Four officers were initially convicted, but those convictions were overturned.
Sammartino agreed to allow them to plead guilty to a misdemeanor and pay a $100 fine each.
Other Navy officers who pleaded guilty to felony charges were also allowed to have those charges reduced to misdemeanors.
with Post wires
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