(TheIndependentStar.com) – Raising alarming questions about national security, the notorious “Fat Leonard” scandal has finally reached its climax while exposing the depths of corruption within the U.S. Navy.
Leonard Glenn Francis, the mastermind behind one of the largest bribery schemes in military history, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Francis is a Malaysian defense contractor known as “Fat Leonard.” He was sentenced for his role in a massive bribery scheme that rocked the U.S. Navy to its core.
The scandal spanned over a decade and saw Francis showering Navy officials with cash, luxury items and even prostitutes in exchange for classified information and moneymaking contracts.
The scope of Francis’s crimes is staggering. Through his company Glenn Defense Marine Asia Ltd., he secured over $35 million in fraudulent payments from the Navy.
As part of his sentence, Francis has been ordered to pay $20 million in restitution and forfeit $35 million in illegal gains.
“Leonard Glenn Francis lined his pockets with taxpayer dollars while undermining the integrity of U.S. Naval forces,” stated U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath.
Meanwhile, Naval Criminal Investigative Service Director Omar Lopez highlighted the security breach: “Francis exploited sensitive national security information through his actions.”
Adding insult to injury, Francis tried to escape justice in September 2022 by cutting off his GPS ankle monitor and escaping to Venezuela.
His defiant act only underscores the audacity of a man who thought he could outwit the very system he had manipulated for years. Two weeks later, he was arrested.
The investigation into this scandal ended in several convictions, exposing a web of corruption that has tainted the Navy.
However, some of these convictions were later nullified due to prosecutorial misconduct, allowing four former Navy officers to plead guilty to mere misdemeanors instead of felonies.
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