A Malaysian business was given a 15-year prison sentence for his involvement in the biggest corruption scandal in the US Navy and for skipping a past sentencing hearing.
Leonard Glenn Francis, known as “Fat Leonard”, pleaded guilty in 2015 to bribing senior Navy officials with millions of dollars in cash, prostitutes, luxury travel and top-shelf liquor and cigars.
In exchange, Francis said he received classified information and was able to overcharge the Navy$ 35m ( £27m ) for his company’s services to the 7th Fleet based in the Indo-Pacific.
He had been due for sentencing in 2022 but he escaped in September that year by cutting off his ankle bracelet, and was recaptured within days.
The US Attorney’s Office said Tuesday’s word reflected admittance in his 2015 innocent appeal, his “extensive cooperation with the government”, and his guilty plea earlier on Tuesday for failing to attend the initial sentencing hearing.
The court even fined the 60-year-old$ 150, 000 and ordered him to give the US Navy$ 20m in compensation.
His business, Singapore-based Glenn Defense Marine Asia, was also sentenced on Tuesday to five years probation and was fined$ 36m.
According to US authorities, the incident had weakened some Navy leaders ‘ public confidence, and its effects will be felt for a while.
Francis was arrested in California in 2013 and he pleaded guilty to bribery and fraud charges in 2015.
After his escape in September, he was recaptured days later in Venezuela while trying to get to Russia.
His case came to be known as the Fat Leonard scandal because of Francis’ rotund frame at that time.
Francis was re-entertained in California last December as a result of a slave swap between the US and Venezuela that resulted in the release of a friend of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in change for 10 British prisoners.
US Attorney Tara McGrath stated in a statement that Leonardo DiCaprio “lined his hands with tax dollars while undermining the dignity of the US Naval forces.”
Justice has been rendered today, according to McGrath,” but the effect of his deception and manipulation may be much felt.”
The bribery and corruption that Francis had “fostered” within the US Navy over several decades was “aggravated and egregious”, but under prison, he helped investigators discover “unprecedented levels of corruption” in the creation, the US Attorney’s Office said.
From commanders to minor officers, Francis provided detailed information to the police.
According to Kelly Mayo, Director of the defense department’s Office of the Inspector General,” Mr. Francis ‘ sentencing brings to an extensive fraud scheme that he perpetrated against the US Navy with the assistance of various Navy officials.”
” Mr. Francis ‘ actions not just degraded the 7th Fleet’s preparation but shook the Fleet’s faith in its authority who furthered his crooked practices”, Kelly said.