SAN DIEGO (AP) — Former army protection contractor Leonard “Fats Leonard” Francis used to be sentenced Tuesday to fifteen years in jail for masterminding a decade-long bribery scheme that swept up dozens of U.S. Army officials, federal prosecutors mentioned.U.S. District Pass judgement on Janis L. Sammartino additionally ordered Francis to pay $20 million in restitution to the Army and a $150,000 wonderful, in keeping with a remark from the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace. He used to be additionally ordered to forfeit $35 million in “ill-gotten proceeds from his crimes,” the remark mentioned. Prosecutors mentioned the sentence resulted from Francis’ first responsible plea in 2015 regarding bribery and fraud, his in depth cooperation with the federal government since then and some other responsible plea Tuesday for failing to look for his authentic sentencing listening to in 2022.In a while prior to he used to be because of be sentenced in September 2022, Francis bring to an end a GPS track he used to be dressed in whilst underneath space arrest and fled the rustic. He used to be later arrested in Venezuela and taken again to the U.S. in December 2023.
AP’s Lisa Dwyer studies a contractor at the back of one of the most greatest army scandals has been sentenced.
Sammartino sentenced him to greater than 13 1/2 years for the bribery and fraud fees, plus 16 months for failing to look. The sentences are to be served consecutively.
“Leonard Francis covered his wallet with taxpayer bucks whilst undermining the integrity of U.S. Naval forces,” U.S. Legal professional Tara McGrath mentioned in Tuesday’s remark. ”The affect of his deceit and manipulation might be lengthy felt, however justice has been served lately.”
E mail and make contact with messages in search of remark had been left Tuesday for William Douglas Sprague, an legal professional for Francis.Sprague, who sought a sentence of slightly below 9 years, argued that his shopper’s cooperation must warrant a lesser sentence, 10 Information San Diego reported.Sprague additionally mentioned Francis’ corporate supplied the Army with exemplary products and services for a few years.“Sadly, as Leonard said in his early responsible plea and speedy cooperation, his greed drove him to dedicate bribery and to dedicate fraud,” Sprague mentioned.
Prosecutors mentioned Francis’ movements ended in one of the most greatest bribery investigations in U.S. army historical past, which resulted within the conviction and sentencing of just about two dozen Army officers, protection contractors and others on more than a few fraud and corruption fees. An enigmatic determine who used to be 6-foot-3 and weighed 350 kilos at one time, Francis owned and operated his circle of relatives’s send servicing trade, Singapore-based Glenn Protection Marine Asia Ltd. or GDMA, which equipped meals, water and gasoline to vessels. The Malaysian protection contractor used to be a key touch for U.S. Army ships at ports throughout Asia for greater than twenty years. All through that point, Francis wooed naval officials with Kobe red meat, pricey cigars, live performance tickets and wild intercourse events at luxurious resorts from Thailand to the Philippines.In change, officials, together with the primary active-duty admiral to be convicted of a federal crime, hid the scheme by which Francis would overcharge for supplying ships or fee for pretend products and services at ports he managed in Southeast Asia. The officials handed him categorized knowledge or even went as far as redirecting army vessels to ports that had been profitable for his Singapore-based send servicing corporate.
In a federal sting, Francis used to be lured to San Diego on false pretenses and arrested at a resort in September 2013. He pleaded responsible in 2015, admitting that he had introduced greater than $500,000 in money bribes to Army officers, protection contractors and others. Prosecutors say he bilked the Army out of no less than $35 million. As a part of his plea deal, he cooperated with the investigation resulting in the Army convictions. He confronted as much as 25 years in jail.Whilst looking ahead to sentencing, Francis used to be hospitalized and handled for renal most cancers and different clinical problems. After leaving the health center, he used to be allowed to stick out of prison at a apartment house, on space arrest with a GPS ankle track and safety guards.However 3 weeks prior to his scheduled sentencing in September 2022, he snipped off his track and made a brazen get away, environment off a global seek. Officers mentioned he fled to Mexico, made his solution to Cuba and sooner or later were given to Venezuela.
He used to be arrested greater than two weeks after his disappearance — stuck prior to he boarded a flight on the Simon Bolivar Global Airport outdoor Caracas. Venezuelan officers mentioned he meant to succeed in Russia.The circumstances had been treated through the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace so to be unbiased of the army justice gadget. However they have got got here underneath scrutiny.The criminal convictions of 4 former Army officials had been vacated following allegations of prosecutorial misconduct. Sammartino agreed so they can plead responsible to a misdemeanor and pay a $100 wonderful each and every.Remaining yr, Sammartino dominated that the lead federal prosecutor within the officials’ case dedicated “flagrant misconduct” through withholding knowledge from protection attorneys, however that it used to be now not sufficient to push aside the case.
