SAN DIEGO — A former Malaysian navy protection contractor was sentenced Tuesday to fifteen years in jail for his position in an “unprecedented” bribery and fraud scheme that focused the U.S. Navy, prosecutors mentioned.
Leonard “Fats Leonard” Francis, 60, was sentenced to 164 months for the bribery and fraud fees and 16 months for failing to seem for his authentic sentencing listening to in 2022, based on the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace for the Southern District of California. Along with his jail sentence, U.S. District Decide Janis L. Sammartino ordered Francis to pay the Navy $20 million in restitution and a $150,000 high-quality.
Francis was additionally ordered to forfeit $35 million in “ill-gotten proceeds from his crimes,” the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace mentioned in a information launch.
Prosecutors referred to as Francis the “mastermind” behind a decade-long scheme, during which he bribed Navy officers with thousands and thousands of {dollars} in money, prostitution providers, journey, and luxurious presents, amongst different lavish bills. In change, prosecutors mentioned Francis acquired categorised data from the Navy and was in a position to defraud the company of tens of thousands and thousands of {dollars}.
Prosecutors mentioned Francis first pleaded responsible to bribery and fraud fees in 2015. On Tuesday, he admitted in his second plea settlement that he fled the US to keep away from his preliminary sentencing listening to in September 2022.
Francis had lower off his GPS monitor whereas he was on home arrest and fled to Mexico after which Cuba, based on prosecutors. He was later arrested in Venezuela and delivered to the U.S. in December 2023.
“Leonard Francis lined his pockets with taxpayer {dollars} whereas undermining the integrity of U.S. Naval forces,” U.S. Lawyer Tara McGrath mentioned in an announcement. “The affect of his deceit and manipulation will likely be lengthy felt, however justice has been served.”
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What was the ‘Fats Leonard’ scandal?
Francis, a Malaysian citizen who most just lately resided in Singapore, owned and operated a ship servicing firm, Glenn Protection Marine Asia Ltd. or GDMA. The corporate supplied items and providers to Navy ships in Asia Pacific ports.
In accordance with court docket paperwork, Francis and GDMA admitted to offering scores of Navy officers with “thousands and thousands of {dollars} in issues of worth,” together with over $500,000 in money; prostitution providers; journey bills that included first or enterprise class airfare and five-star lodge lodging; and lavish meals. He additionally bribed officers with luxurious presents, akin to Cuban cigars, Kobe beef, Dom Perignon Champagne, and Spanish suckling pigs.
“Francis admitted that in return, U.S. Navy personnel and command employees advocated on behalf of Francis and his firm through the procurement course of and supplied categorised details about varied U.S. Navy ships’ port visits, proprietary U.S. Navy data akin to particulars about rivals’ bids for U.S. Navy contracts, and details about Naval Legal Investigative Service and U.S. Navy investigations into GDMA’s practices, amongst different issues,” the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace mentioned.
Francis additionally admitted in his 2015 plea settlement that he used the categorised data to overcharge the Navy for items and providers supplied by his firm, together with gas, tugboats, and sewage disposal, based on prosecutors.
In an announcement, Kelly Mayo, director of the Protection Legal Investigative Service, mentioned that Francis’ expansive scheme “finally price the American taxpayer thousands and thousands of {dollars} and weakened the general public’s belief in a few of our Navy’s senior leaders.”
Federal authorities beforehand referred to as the case one in all “largest and most complicated public corruption” felony circumstances to be investigated within the U.S. navy’s historical past. Prosecutors mentioned in 2018 that 33 defendants had been charged in reference to the case and 22 pleaded responsible.
Prosecutors estimate that ‘Fats Leonard’ has 8.5 years left on his sentence
Francis was initially arrested in San Diego in September 2013 and remained in pretrial custody till December 2017, when he was launched for a medical situation, prosecutors mentioned. On the time, Francis served 4 years and three months in custody.
He then was ordered into home arrest till September 2022 when he fled the nation, based on prosecutors. Prosecutors mentioned Francis pleaded responsible and cooperated with authorities after he was caught.
For a number of years, he met with federal investigators to “focus on unprecedented ranges of corruption inside the U.S. Navy,” based on the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace. Francis supplied details about lots of of sailors, which included petty officers and admirals, and gave monetary data, images, receipts, and Navy contracting paperwork.
Prosecutors mentioned Francis has already served greater than six years of his sentence, together with time spent in custody in Venezuela, and has an estimated 8.5 years remaining. Prosecutors added that GDMA was additionally sentenced Tuesday to 5 years of probation and ordered to pay a $36 million high-quality.
Contributing: Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY
( headline and story edited by our employees and is printed from a syndicated feed.)
