Authorities announced Wednesday that a Malaysian defense contractor known as “Fat Leonard” who orchestrated one of the greatest bribery scandals in U.S. military history has been caught in Venezuela after fleeing before his sentencing.
According to the U.S. Marshals Service, the international quest for Leonard Glenn Francis concluded with his arrest by Venezuelan officials Tuesday morning at the Caracas airport as he was ready to board a flight to another country.
General of Interpol Venezuela Carlos Garate Rondon stated in an Instagram post that Francis arrived in Venezuela via Mexico. Rondon stated that he was going to Russia.
The arrest occurred on the eve of his scheduled sentencing in a federal court in California for a bribery conspiracy involving hundreds of U.S. Navy officers that spanned more than a decade.
There was no immediate information on his potential extradition to the United States.
Francis was under house detention in San Diego on September 4 when he removed his GPS ankle tracker and escaped. Ten U.S. agencies hunted for Francis, and a $40,000 reward was offered for information leading to his capture.
Leonard Francis, often known as “Fat Leonard,” is a 57-year-old Malaysian defense contractor recently apprehended in Venezuela after being on the run.
The U.S. Marshals Service shared this undated photo of Leonard Francis.
In addition, U.S. officials issued a red notice, which requests law enforcement agencies around the world to arrest someone provisionally with the prospect of extradition. The United States has extradition arrangements with both Malaysia and Singapore.
Francis pled guilty in 2015 to providing Navy officials and others more than $500,000 in bribes, including prostitution services, luxury hotels, cigars, and gourmet dinners, in order to benefit his Singapore-based ship servicing company, Glenn Defense Marine Asia Ltd. or GDMA.
Prosecutors alleged that the firm overpaid the Navy by at least $35 million for servicing ships, the majority of which were sent to ports that he controlled in the Pacific.
Francis was permitted to remain in home confinement in order to undergo medical treatment while he assisted the prosecution. With his assistance, prosecutors obtained convictions for 33 of 34 defendants, including over a dozen Navy commanders.
As he continued to help prosecutors, the date of his punishment had been delayed for years. He was prepared to testify against five former navy officers in a trial earlier this year, but he was never called to the stand.
In a podcast from the previous year, he bragged about supplying admirals with alcohol and prostitutes, as well as the lucrative informant arrangement he had with the United States government.
Francis is pictured with Rear Admiral Bolivar, who was probed in connection with the affair.
Francis claims he arranged a reception for senior Navy personnel in his unofficial capacity.
“I had everyone in my pocket.” They were bouncing around in my palm. I had the Navy in my grasp. Because they deceived me, I turned my torpedo and my guns against them,’ Francis says in one episode of a nine-part series.
Additionally, he disclosed that the government secured visas for his entire family, stating, ‘Everyone arrived legitimately. Everyone knows, including Uncle Sam, what I’m doing. My children are my children.
In one episode of the podcast, he boasted of pursuing Michael Misiewicz, a commander whom he provided with prostitutes in Tokyo in exchange for information regarding secret shipping routes to Australia.
“Misciewicz was valuable; he was the number two person in the scheduling department.”
“If you look at him, he’s actually a pretty wonderful guy with a kind attitude, a welcoming disposition, and he’s a terrific father to his children.” Francis stated, adding that his number two, Edmond Aruffo of New York, had ’embedded’ him.
They desired a life that they were unable to attain. He stated that they desired fine eating, fine gifts, hotel rooms, sedans, luxury automobiles, watches, purses, upscale dinners, alcoholic beverages, and cigars.
Francis penetrated Misiewicz’s family and friends in 2011 while he was stationed aboard the USS Blue Ridge off of Manila.
He provided him and his family tickets to the Tokyo performance of The Lion King, purchased his wife Marcy a Gucci handbag when she became suspicious of him, and arranged for Michael to regularly sleep with prostitutes in Tokyo.
In 2013, Michael’s wife Marcy Misiewicz feared he was cheating on her and confronted him, bringing down the plan. She reported the assault to the NCIS, who began sifting through Michael’s communications.
Among these were communications with Francis in which Michael provided secret shipping routes to Australia.
Francis, who had a spy in the NCIS, discovered the information and attempted to appease her, but he was ultimately detained with Misiewicz, who was sentenced to seven years in prison.
Francis also asserted that some of the most senior admirals he corrupted were being shielded by the Navy, a charge that is supported by the fact that some of them were reprimanded by military courts while others were pursued by the Department of Justice.
Leonard Glenn Francis, often known as Fat Leonard, acquired a decommissioned British warship, rechristened her the Glenn Braveheart (shown), and occasionally used it as a massive party boat.
Fat Leonard, also known as Leonard Glenn Francis, on the vessel he purchased, the USS Braveheart. Despite never having been in the United States, he is enamored with American culture and speaks with an American accent.
According to several of those interviewed as part of the investigation, Fat Leonard’s 2003-purchased battleship, the Braveheart, was utilized as a “floating brothel.”
Some of the more senior admirals were disciplined by the Navy so that they could be swept under the rug with little more than a slap on the wrist; this is referred to as “different spankings for different grades.”
“If you are an admiral, you are not punished as severely as a lesser officer,” stated Wright.
Federal criminal charges have been filed against 34 Navy officials, defense contractors, including Francis, and the business Glenn Defense Marine Asia.
To date, 26 of these individuals have pled guilty, and many have been sentenced to multiple years in prison.
In exchange for prostitutes, wine, and luxury hotel stays, U.S. Navy Captain Daniel Dusek handed over classified ship itineraries and guided aircraft carriers into revenue ports controlled by Glenn Defense.
Rear Admiral Robert Gilbeau (left) and Commander Michael Misiewicz (right) were sentenced to 18 months and six years in jail, respectively.