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Former Navy contractor Leonard Francis, often known as “Fats Leonard,” the mastermind of one of many largest U.S. navy bribery scandals, was sentenced Tuesday to fifteen years in jail for his function within the scheme, in line with federal prosecutors.
U.S. District Choose Janis Sammartino handed down a 164-month sentence for bribery and fraud and one other 16 months for failing to seem after Francis fled to Venezuela from the USA in September 2022 weeks earlier than he was initially to be sentenced, the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace stated in an announcement.
Sammartino additionally ordered Francis to pay $20 million in restitution to the Navy, pay a $150,000 nice and forfeit $35 million in “ill-gotten proceeds from his crimes,” the assertion stated.
Prosecutors stated Francis’s sentence displays admissions in his first responsible plea in 2015 regarding bribery and fraud, his in depth cooperation with the federal government since and his responsible plea Tuesday for failing to seem for his authentic sentencing listening to after he lower off his ankle monitor and fled the nation. Francis first fled to Mexico, then Cuba and at last Venezuela, the place he was arrested in December and returned to the U.S.
“Leonard Francis lined his pockets with taxpayer {dollars} whereas undermining the integrity of U.S. Naval forces,” U.S. Legal professional Tara McGrath stated within the assertion. “The impression of his deceit and manipulation shall be lengthy felt, however justice has been served at this time.”
Francis’s lawyer, in the meantime, had sought a sentence of lower than 9 years resulting from what he claimed was his consumer’s cooperation with federal prosecutors, 10 Information San Diego reported.
Francis, 60, a Malaysian citizen, ran the Singapore-based Glenn Protection Marine Asia, an organization that managed ports in Southeast Asia and equipped the U.S. Navy’s seventh Fleet within the Jap Pacific with meals, water and gasoline.
In one of many greatest bribery investigations in U.S. navy historical past, Francis from 2004 to 2013 received the favor of dozens of Navy officers with thousands and thousands of {dollars} in bribes, alcohol, prostitutes, cigars, events, live performance tickets and lavish meals.
In alternate, officers hid the truth that Francis would overcharge for supplying Navy ships or cost the service for faux companies at ports he managed.
He was initially lured to and arrested in a federal sting in San Diego in September 2013, earlier than he pleaded responsible in 2015 to fraud, amongst different prices.
Prosecutors say he cheated the Navy out of at the least $35 million, and greater than 30 Navy officers have been later charged within the investigation.
As Francis has to date served 2,333 days of his sentence — together with time spent in custody in Venezuela on the request of the U.S. authorities — he has an estimated eight and a half years remaining, in line with federal prosecutors.
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