**San Diego Court Sentencing**
Former military defense contractor Leonard “Fat Leonard” Francis was sentenced on Tuesday, October 3, 2023, to 15 years in prison. Francis was found guilty of masterminding a decade-long bribery scheme that involved dozens of U.S. Navy officers, as stated by federal prosecutors.
**Financial Penalties**
U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino ordered Francis to pay $20 million in restitution to the Navy, in addition to a $150,000 fine. He was also mandated to forfeit $35 million in “ill-gotten proceeds” from his crimes.
**Prior Guilty Pleas and Cooperation**
The current sentence reflects Francis’s first guilty plea made in 2015 for bribery and fraud. His extensive cooperation with the government since then and another guilty plea on Tuesday for failing to appear for his original sentencing hearing in 2022 factored into the decision.
**Flight from Justice**
Leonard Francis fled shortly before his scheduled sentencing in September 2022. He cut off his GPS monitor while under house arrest and escaped the country. He was arrested in Venezuela and brought back to the United States in December 2023.
**Consecutive Sentencing for Crimes**
Judge Sammartino handed down a sentence of more than 13 1/2 years for the bribery and fraud charges. This is to be followed by 16 months for failing to appear, to be served consecutively.
**Impact of the Scheme**
U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath stated that Francis’s actions had undermined the integrity of the U.S. Naval forces. The bribery investigation led to the convictions and sentencing of nearly two dozen Navy officials, defense contractors, and others for various fraud and corruption charges.
**Background on Francis**
Francis, a 6-foot-3, 350-pound figure, owned Glenn Defense Marine Asia (GDMA), a company based in Singapore that supplied food, water, and fuel to vessels. For over two decades, he cultivated relationships with naval officers through luxury gifts and extravagant parties, while overcharging the Navy or charging for nonexistent services.
**Arrest and Charges**
In September 2013, Francis was arrested in a federal sting operation in San Diego. He admitted to offering over $500,000 in cash bribes to Navy officials and was charged with bilking the Navy of at least $35 million. He faced a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.
**Medical Issues and House Arrest**
While awaiting sentencing, Francis was hospitalized for renal cancer and other medical concerns. After treatment, he was placed under house arrest with a GPS ankle monitor.
**International Escape and Arrest**
Just three weeks before his sentencing, Francis removed the monitor and fled. He traveled through Mexico, Cuba, and reached Venezuela. He was arrested attempting to board a flight to Russia more than two weeks later.
**Legal Oversight and Misconduct Allegations**
The cases against Francis and the Navy officials were handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office to maintain independence from military justice. However, there was scrutiny following the vacation of felony convictions for four former Navy officers due to allegations of prosecutorial misconduct. Judge Sammartino allowed these officers to plead guilty to a misdemeanor with a $100 fine.
