The term “Fat Leonard” has been trending online for quite a while.
Netizens are in an uproar over the details of the case, incriminating this person for audacious things that will make anyone’s eyebrows rise to their hairline.
So what did he do? And most importantly, why is he called “Fat Leonard”?
Leonard Glenn Francis, a 59-year-old Malaysian citizen, owned Glenn Defense Marine Asia, a Singapore-based company with $250 million in U.S. defense contracts to service Navy ships in Asian ports. Known as “Fat Leonard” by Navy sailors, he made headlines in 2015 by pleading guilty to an audacious bribery scheme involving cash, prostitutes, and parties. He defrauded the Navy of $35 million. After a daring escape, he was apprehended in Venezuela, leading to his upcoming extradition to the U.S., where his sentencing awaits.
Who Is “Fat Leonard”? Why Is He Called That?
Leonard Glenn Francis, a 59-year-old Malaysian citizen, owned Glenn Defense Marine Asia, a Singapore-based company with $250 million in U.S. defense contracts for servicing U.S. Navy ships in Asian ports.
Known as “Fat Leonard” by Navy sailors, he weighed around 500 pounds before undergoing gastric bypass surgery two decades ago, which helped him reduce his weight to approximately 350 pounds.
What Did “Fat Leonard” Do?
In 2015, Leonard Glenn Francis, a Malaysian citizen, made headlines when he pleaded guilty to orchestrating one of the most audacious bribery conspiracies in the history of the U.S. Navy.
His company, Glenn Defense Marine Asia Ltd., based in Singapore, secured lucrative contracts worth $250 million to resupply and service U.S. Navy ships in ports across Asia.
However, the outrageous lengths to which Francis went to win these contracts shocked the nation.
According to the Department of Justice, Francis employed an array of corrupt tactics to bribe over 30 officials, including more than two dozen naval officers.
The bribery scheme involved a criminal potpourri of cash, prostitutes, extravagant parties, luxury travel, and items such as Kobe beef, Cuban cigars, and Spanish suckling pig.
In addition to the extravagant bribes, Francis confessed to overcharging the Pentagon for fictitious services, ultimately defrauding the Navy of a staggering $35 million (as per NPR).
In exchange for these illicit favors, officers handed over classified and sensitive material to Francis’ company, compromising national security.
The scope of this scandal prompted officials to label it as one of the most brazen bribery conspiracies in the history of the U.S. Navy.
Following his guilty plea on fraud and bribery charges, Leonard Glenn Francis was allowed to remain under house arrest as a result of his poor health, particularly his battle with advanced kidney cancer.
Under the terms of his plea deal, he received round-the-clock private security and cooperated extensively with the Justice Department, providing incriminating evidence against hundreds of Navy personnel.
However, the story took a dramatic turn on September 4, 2022, just three weeks before his scheduled sentencing.
Francis removed the GPS tracking device from his ankle, a measure intended to prevent his escape. Residents in his upscale neighborhood reported seeing U-Haul vehicles coming and going from his residence.
When authorities arrived, they discovered that there were no security guards present.
With remarkable audacity, Francis successfully evaded capture, first crossing the border into Mexico before catching a flight to Cuba.
Yet, Cuban authorities refused to grant him asylum, prompting him to continue his flight to Venezuela.
In Caracas, he sought refuge by applying for asylum at the Russian embassy. However, he was apprehended on September 20, 2022, while attempting to board a flight to Russia.
In a twist of fate, Francis found himself in a legal limbo, given the absence of diplomatic relations between the United States and Venezuela. Consequently, the State Department and United Nations officials aimed to secure his release.
Finally, the White House announced that Leonard Glenn Francis would be extradited to the United States as part of a prisoner exchange deal with Venezuela.
A senior Biden administration official stated (as per NPR):
“His return to the United States will now ensure that he is held fully accountable for his crime, as well as for his attempt to escape from justice.”
Francis will be placed in federal detention upon his return to await his long-delayed sentencing.
As of now, the date for Francis’ sentencing remains uncertain. Although his plea agreement initially suggested a possible 25-year prison term, his cooperation with prosecutors might have led to a reduced sentence.
However, his audacious escape and the subsequent international manhunt have likely erased any hopes of leniency, leaving “Fat Leonard” to face the consequences of his brazen bribery scandal.
What do you think of this case of large-scale corruption? What sentence does “Fat Leonard” deserve?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: NPR
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