What to Know
- Leonard Glenn "Fat Leonard" Francis was a foreign defense contractor and CEO of Glenn Defense Marine Asia.
- Francis pleaded guilty in 2015 to providing Navy officials with prostitutes and cash and to defrauding the U.S. government.
- As of February 2019, 33 defendants have been charged and 22 have pleaded guilty.
The investigation into widespread scandal in which a defense contractor bribed officials within the U.S. Navy to gain access to confidential information may be wrapped up by the end of next year, the U.S. Attorney's Office said Monday.
U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer, who heads the Justice Department’s San Diego-area office, said there are approximately 11 defendants set for trial in what he described as a "huge case."
“It was a huge fraud. The government lost millions of dollars to this very corrupt defense contractor,” Brewer said.
More than 26 defendants have pleaded guilty as part of an investigation led by the US Attorney's Office and NCIS launched in 2013.
An additional 11 are still awaiting trial. Brewer said it's likely all 11 will be wrapped up in one trial that will take place next year.
Among the bribes uncovered in the scandal, a U.S. Navy captain's elaborate rooftop proposal, suckling pigs, tickets to a Julio Iglesias concert, prostitutes,travel, hotel rooms, cigars and a Wii gaming unit.
Local
Leonard "Fat Leonard" Francis pleaded guilty in January 2015 to bribing senior Navy officials in exchange for specific U.S. Navy warship movements so his company could overbill the Pentagon.
