A Malaysian businessman has been sentenced to fifteen years in jail for his position within the US Navy’s largest corruption scandal and for skipping a earlier sentencing listening to.
Leonard Glenn Francis, often called “Fats Leonard”, pleaded responsible in 2015 to bribing senior Navy officers with thousands and thousands of {dollars} in money, prostitutes, luxurious journey and top-shelf liquor and cigars.
In alternate, Francis mentioned he obtained categorized info and was capable of overcharge the Navy $35m (£27m) for his firm’s providers to the seventh Fleet based mostly within the Indo-Pacific.
He had been due for sentencing in 2022 however he escaped in September that year by reducing off his ankle bracelet, and was recaptured inside days.
The US Lawyer’s Workplace mentioned Tuesday’s sentence mirrored admissions in his 2015 responsible plea, his “in depth cooperation with the federal government”, and his responsible plea earlier on Tuesday for failing to attend the unique sentencing listening to.
The court docket additionally fined the 60-year-old $150,000 and ordered him to pay the US Navy $20m in restitution.
His firm, Singapore-based Glenn Protection Marine Asia, was additionally sentenced on Tuesday to 5 years probation and was fined $36m.
US officers mentioned the scandal had weakened public belief in some Navy leaders and its fallout can be long-felt.
Francis was arrested in California in 2013 and he pleaded responsible to bribery and fraud expenses in 2015.
After his escape in September, he was recaptured days later in Venezuela whereas attempting to get to Russia.
His case got here to be often called the Fat Leonard scandal due to Francis’ rotund body at the moment.
Francis was returned to California final December underneath a prisoner swap between the US and Venezuela that noticed Washington launch an ally of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in alternate for 10 American detainees.
“Leonard Francis lined his pockets with taxpayer {dollars} whereas undermining the integrity of US Naval forces,” mentioned US Lawyer Tara McGrath in a press release.
“The influence of his deceit and manipulation can be lengthy felt, however justice has been served immediately,” McGrath mentioned.
The bribery and corruption that Francis had “fostered” throughout the US Navy over a few years was “aggravated and egregious”, however underneath custody, he helped investigators uncover “unprecedented ranges of corruption” within the institution, the US Lawyer’s Workplace mentioned.
Francis supplied investigators with detailed info on lots of of sailors, from petty officers to admirals.
“Mr. Francis’ sentencing brings closure to an expansive fraud scheme that he perpetrated towards the US Navy with help from numerous Navy officers,” mentioned Kelly Mayo, Director of the defence division’s Workplace of the Inspector Basic.
“Mr. Francis’ actions not solely degraded the seventh Fleet’s readiness however shook the Fleet’s belief in its management who furthered his corrupt practices,” Kelly mentioned.
