FAT LEONARD SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS FOR INVOLVEMENT IN NAVY BRIBERY SCANDAL
Lavish parties, bribes, and a ton of hustling, and we haven’t even gotten to the prisoner escape which will transcend across multiple countries. While it sounds like a great premise for an American crime drama, the Fat Leonard corruption scandal is all too real. It centers on a man nicknamed Fat Leonard, and the inner workings of everyone involved continue to be investigated throughout the U.S. Navy. The Fat Leonard scandal is a black eye for Sailors and the branch as a whole, especially as more details continue to unfold. The latest development in this case relates to his sentencing. Involved in the Navy’s worst-ever corruption scandal, Fat Leonard was sentenced on Tuesday, November 5th in a San Diego federal court. Learn more about the details of his sentencing, including prison time and what the future holds for him.
Who is Fat Leonard?
Fat Leonard is the nickname of Glenn Defense Marine Asia (GDMA) CEO, President Leonard Glenn Francis, the man at the heart of a massive Navy bribery scandal. This would include several bribes going to Officers serving in the United States 7th Fleet.
They say money is the root of all evil and this scandal adds legitimacy to that claim. If you can think of something illicit, it was probably at least in some small way included in the bribes and debauchery. While the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) stepped in, piecing together the details and administering justice is complex.
Breaking Down the Navy Scandal
The Fat Leonard scandal investigation has come to an end. The scandal involved looking into the corruption within the U.S. Navy during the 2000s and 2010s, involving GDMA, a ship support contractor, and the 7th Fleet. Fat Leonard bribed numerous Officers with cash, travel expenses, luxury items, parties, and prostitutes in exchange for classified information. This information would include the details of U.S. ship movements, contract details, and law enforcement investigations.
Furthermore, Fat Leonard manipulated this information for personal profit, diverting Navy assets to Southeast Asian ports under his control. The conspiracy began around 2006, by recruiting Navy personnel to engage in corrupt practices, favoring GDMA over competitors, and obstructing oversight of the activities. Specifically, the filing of criminal charges targeted 33 individuals, including Francis and Navy officials, with 22 pleading guilty.
Francis was granted a medical furlough for health issues in 2018. Years later, he was eluding authorities. In September 2022, the Fat Leonard escape was on; however, he was finally captured in Venezuela.
But the investigation continued to face challenges, including whistleblower warnings that went unheeded and interference within the Navy's Inspector General's office and NCIS. Consequently, this allowed GDMA's corrupt practices to continue. Multiple investigations were opening and closing without action against the company, paving the way for more fraudulent activities.
The Vacating of Felony Charges Occurred For Naval Officers
Various felonies have a connection to the Fat Leonard corruption scandal. Earlier this year, the vacating of charges began. This development came after many issues with the justice system involving their cases came to light.
There have been four former Navy Officers who plead guilty to misdemeanors and will no longer be felons. For this reason, they paid a $100 fine each.
The vacating of felonies occurred for former Captains David Newland, David Lausman, James Dolan, and Commander Mario Herrera. Each were serving in the 7th Fleet and three have confessed to providing Francis with information. Lausman admitted to destroying a hard drive with a hammer. Significantly, this development comes in light of the lack of belief in the credibility of the trial witnesses.
Where is Fat Leonard?
If you’re looking for Fat Leonard, you can find him in custody in San Diego, California. However, how we got here is more than interesting and involves an international manhunt, prison exchanges, political deals, and more. It also starts where one chapter ends, in America's Finest City.
Leonard escaped from his home in the Torrey Highlands community of San Diego, a location picked allegedly because of health problems rather than imprisonment. However, Francis was eventually caught in Venezuela.
The escape was a failed attempt to make it to Russia where Leonard could cut off his ankle monitor and head to South America. Sadly for Fat Leonard, Caribbean vibes, stunning waterfalls, and delicious arepas weren't in focus for the disgraced CEO.
Getting Fat Leonard Stateside Proved Difficult
Ever since Francis arrived in Venezuelan custody, the United States began working on extraditing him stateside. This would come to fruition after an elaborate deal involving many different prisoner exchanges and a possible ruse against Frances took place.
Leonard Glenn Francis thought he was home free. It was thought that he would be heading home, and he was in good spirits when texting family. The idea, in his head, was to receive medical treatment and then secure his freedom. 2024 was to be a new beginning as a free man, but it never happened.
While in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas, Frances was being told by officials he would be free while in reality, they didn’t want him to fight the prisoner swap. For months both the U.S. and Venezuela had been working on a secret deal that would come to an apex on December 20, 2023, when an exchange occurred between the two on the Caribbean island of Canouan.
Saying hello to the States once again, Fat Leonard was brought to Miami where he was initially held. They then transferred him to San Diego for sentencing. Leonard also faced additional charges as a result of all the madness that came to be when fleeing to Mexico, Cuba, and Venezuela.
Leonard’s lawyer in Venezuela, Marco Rodriguez-Acosta, believed that his client was tricked which led to a reversal of legal strategy presenting the current situation for Francis. A key to bringing Fat Leonard back to the U.S. came when President Joe Biden granted clemency to President Nicolás Maduro’s high-profile friend Alex Saab.
Fat Leonard Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison
Fat Leonard was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Tuesday for his involvement in the corruption scandal. Leonard will spend roughly 8 ½ years in federal prison, as he has already spent roughly 6 years in custody. His prison sentence has the potential to be reduced more if he ends up qualifying for early release.
A U.S. District Judge who was in charge of the case has ordered Fat Leonard to pay $20 million in restitution to the Navy in addition to the $35 million he has to pay as part of his plea agreement.
Since Francis has pleaded guilty, it has been discovered that he was involved in a number of Navy corruption instances, in what prosecutors have referred to as “unprecedented” cooperation. Adding to the complexity of the case, it has been revealed that Judge Sammartino had released him from state custody to receive cancer treatment. He ended up using the medical furlough to move into a mansion costing $7,000/month. While living in this mansion, Francis secretly recorded a podcast that was released before he was expected to take the witness stand in a different trial, but that never came to fruition.
Weeks before his sentencing, he fled out of the country, and was imprisoned in Venezuela before being traded back to the U.S. in a prisoner swap last year. During this time, prosecutors obtained guilty pleas from over 30 individuals, most being Navy officers who accepted bribes from Leonard.
The case has been complex from the beginning, but it has finally wrapped up as Francis is the last person involved to be sentenced. While his sentencing has concluded, several questions remain in the minds of many. Will Francis have to pay what he owes in restitution and forfeiture to the government? Does he have any other hidden assets?
Francis avoided accountability for years, despite his corruption being widely known amongst Sailors. However, the long-standing scandal concluded in 2013 when authorities tricked the NCIS mole into thinking the investigation concluded, and armed federal agents burst in on Francis and other Navy officers having a meeting in a Marriott hotel. While this case has wrapped up, more information may soon be released, so be sure to check back for more updates.
Related reads:
Office Joe (TV Show) Is a Veteran-Backed Comedy About Life After Service
Unpacking the Incident: Gen Kurilla Under Investigation for Airplane Altercation
10 Patriotic Songs Perfect for Your Veterans Day Playlist
Updated by Lauren Piette