Leonard Glenn Francis, the Malaysian businessman at the center of the US Navy’s biggest corruption scandal, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for his role in bribing senior Navy officials and his subsequent escape from custody. Francis, known as “Fat Leonard,” pleaded guilty in 2015 to charges of bribery and fraud for providing millions of dollars in bribes—ranging from cash to prostitutes, luxury travel, and high-end alcohol and cigars—to Navy officials. In return, Francis gained access to classified information and was able to overcharge the Navy by $35 million (£27 million) for services provided to the 7th Fleet, which operates in the Indo-Pacific region.
The sentence, handed down on Tuesday, reflects his guilty plea from 2015, extensive cooperation with authorities, and a separate guilty plea for failing to appear at his original sentencing in 2022. The 60-year-old businessman was also fined $150,000 and ordered to pay $20 million in restitution to the US Navy.
Francis’ company, Singapore-based Glenn Defense Marine Asia, was also penalized, receiving a five-year probationary sentence and a $36 million fine. The company had been central to the scandal, which US officials said severely damaged public trust in certain Navy leaders and is expected to have long-lasting consequences.
Francis, who was arrested in California in 2013, had been due for sentencing in 2022 but escaped house arrest in September of that year by cutting off his ankle bracelet. He was recaptured days later in Venezuela while attempting to flee to Russia. His capture came as part of a prisoner exchange between the US and Venezuela, which saw the release of a Venezuelan official in return for 10 American detainees.
“This sentence brings closure to a large-scale fraud scheme that Leonard Francis orchestrated, to the detriment of the US Navy and its personnel,” said Kelly Mayo, Director of the Department of Defense’s Office of the Inspector General. “Francis’ actions not only degraded the 7th Fleet’s readiness but also undermined the trust between the Fleet’s leadership and its sailors.”
The scandal, which came to be known as the “Fat Leonard” case due to Francis’ notable physical appearance at the time, revealed deep levels of corruption within the Navy, with Francis providing authorities with detailed information on hundreds of sailors involved in the scheme, from petty officers to admirals.
US Attorney Tara McGrath emphasized that Francis’ exploitation of taxpayer dollars and his manipulation of Navy forces would have long-term effects. “The impact of his deceit will be felt for years, but justice has been served today,” McGrath said in a statement.
The US Attorney’s Office highlighted Francis’ extensive cooperation in helping uncover “unprecedented levels of corruption” within the Navy, which has been hailed as a significant breakthrough in the ongoing investigation into the scandal.
Despite his cooperation with investigators, Francis’ actions remain a stark reminder of the vulnerability of military institutions to corruption and the far-reaching consequences such misconduct can have on national security.