KUALA LUMPUR – Leonard “Fat Leonard” Francis, the Malaysian mastermind behind one of the largest bribery and fraud schemes ever to target the US Navy, was sentenced to 15 years in prison in San Diego today.
In addition to his prison sentence, US district judge Janis L. Sammartino also ordered Francis to pay US$20 million (around RM87 million) in restitution to the navy, a US$150,000 fine, and forfeit US$35 million in ill-gotten profits, according to reports.
Francis, 60, a Malaysian businessman, ran Glenn Defense Marine Asia Ltd (GDMA), a ship servicing company based in Singapore that provided essential supplies to US Navy ships across Asia.
Over the course of two decades, it was reported that Francis enticed navy officials with a lavish array of bribes including luxury goods, extravagant travel, and even wild sex parties at luxury hotels across Thailand and the Philippines. He supplied them with everything from Kobe beef and Spanish suckling pigs to Cuban cigars and designer handbags, according to The Guardian.
In exchange, officers provided Francis with classified information, manipulated contracts, and redirected navy ships to ports controlled by his company, where his services were overpriced or fabricated.
He overcharged the US military by at least US$35 million, with authorities revealing that he also passed off fake invoices for services that were never rendered. These actions helped him secure lucrative contracts while undermining the integrity of the US Navy’s operations.
Francis, who had close ties to multiple senior officers, also provided officers with luxury spa treatments, top-shelf alcohol, leather goods, and even ornamental swords, according to court documents. His bribes reached such a scale that they included offering more than US$500,000 in cash to navy officials and defence contractors.
In total, his actions led to the conviction of more than 30 navy officers and contractors, including the first-ever conviction of an active-duty admiral, as reported by US media.
In 2015, Francis pled guilty to charges of bribery and fraud, agreeing to cooperate with authorities and assist in the prosecution of other Navy officials involved. However, his case took a dramatic turn in 2022, shortly before his sentencing.
While under house arrest and wearing a GPS ankle monitor, Francis cut the device off and fled the country, sparking an international manhunt. It was reported that he initially travelled to Mexico, then made his way to Cuba, before finally reaching Venezuela.
His escape ended in December 2023 when he was arrested at Simon Bolivar International Airport in Caracas, Venezuela, while attempting to board a flight to Russia. This arrest was the culmination of a months-long search, with US authorities working to bring him back as part of a prisoner swap deal with Venezuela. In return, the Biden administration freed Alex Saab, a Colombian businessman with ties to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
At his sentencing, US Attorney Tara McGrath called Francis a “linchpin” in a scheme that “lined his pockets with taxpayer dollars while undermining the integrity of US Naval forces.” She added that while justice had been served, “the impact of his deceit and manipulation will be long felt,” as reported by CBS. – November 6, 2024
