A Malaysian businessman has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for his role in the US Navy's largest corruption scandal and for missing a previous 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 trips and liquor and cigars. high end.
In return, Francis said he received classified information and was able to overcharge the Navy $35m (£27m) for his company's services to the Indo-Pacific-based 7th Fleet.
He was due to be sentenced in 2022, but he escaped in September of that year by cutting off his ankle bracelet and was recaptured a few days later.
The U.S. Attorney's Office said Tuesday's sentence reflected admissions from his 2015 guilty plea, his “extensive cooperation with the government” and his guilty plea earlier Tuesday to failing to attend the initial hearing of sentencing.
The court also fined the 60-year-old $150,000 and ordered him to pay $20 million in restitution to the U.S. Navy.
His company, Singapore-based Glenn Defense Marine Asia, was also sentenced Tuesday to five years of probation and fined $36 million.
U.S. officials said the scandal had weakened public confidence in some Navy leaders and its consequences would be felt long-term.
Francis was arrested in California in 2013 and pleaded guilty to bribery and fraud in 2015.
After his escape in September, he was recaptured a few days later in Venezuela while trying to reach Russia.
His case became known as the Fat Leonard scandal because of Francis' curvy figure at that time.
Francis was returned to California last December as part of a prisoner swap between the United States and Venezuela that saw Washington free an ally of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in exchange for 10 American detainees.
“Leonard Francis lined his pockets with taxpayer dollars while undermining the integrity of the United States naval forces,” U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath said in a statement.
“The impact of his deception and manipulation will be felt for a long time, but justice has been served today,” McGrath said.
The bribery and corruption that Francis had “favored” within the U.S. Navy for many years was “aggravated and egregious,” but in custody he helped investigators uncover “unprecedented levels of corruption ” at the facility, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
Francis provided investigators with detailed information on hundreds of sailors, from petty officers to admirals.
“Mr. Francis' conviction brings to an end a massive fraud scheme that he perpetrated against the United States Navy with the assistance of various Navy officials,” said Kelly Mayo, director of the Office of Inspector General of the United States. Ministry of Defense.
“Mr. Francis' actions not only degraded the readiness of the 7th Fleet, but also undermined the fleet's confidence in its leadership who enabled his corrupt practices,” Kelly said.
