“Fat Leonard” Glen Francis

It all sounds like a bad novel.  Bribes, prostitutes, and Lady Gaga tickets were allegedly handed out to US Navy officers by a Malaysian businessman known as “Fat Leonard” in exchange for classified information and directing business toward the Singapore-based contractor, Glenn Defense Marine Asia (GDMA.) GMDA is accused of overcharging the Navy millions of dollars for port services.

On Thursday, Federal prosecutors arrested a third senior Navy officer, Cmdr. Jose Luis Sanchez, in the widening bribery scandal.  In September, the Department of Justice arrested Navy Commander and Captain-Select Michael Misiewicz and Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Supervisory Special Agent John Beliveau II on bribery charges. GDMA CEO Leonard Glenn Francis was also arrested.  In October, Capt. Daniel Dusek was relieved of his command of the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard.  Captain Dusek has not been charged with a crime, but is under investigation by the Justice Department in the bribery scandal.

Navy Bribery Scandal Leads To Third Officer Arrest

The continuing Navy bribery scandal has revealed these officers to have similarly fed confidential Navy documents and details to GDMA CEO Leonard Glenn Francis, reports NBC News. Francis is also known by his nickname, “Fat Leonard,” within military circles. 

Investigators say Francis bribed the three officers in similar ways, throwing cash, hookers, and luxury goods their way. In return, Francis would gain access to information barred to other military contractors and have Navy business steered toward GDMA. Belivieau, however, is accused of tipping Francis off to a investigation into his company over allegations of overcharging for fuel and food used by the Navy.

Francis has been heavily implicated in the Navy bribery scandal and was arrested in San Diego in September, according to NBC News. As Rear Admiral Terry McKnight explains, Francis is a “larger-than-life figure. You talk to any captain on any ship that has sailed in the Pacific and they will know exactly who he is.”