MIAMI — A protection contractor on the middle of one of many largest bribery scandals in U.S. army historical past is anticipated to face extra expenses following his return to the USA from Venezuela as a part of a broader prisoner swap between the 2 nations, a federal prosecutor stated Thursday.
Leonard Glenn Francis, who’s nicknamed “Fats Leonard,” confronted a federal choose for the primary time since snipping off his ankle monitor final yr and disappearing weeks earlier than a sentencing listening to on expenses that he provided greater than $500,000 in money bribes to Navy officers, protection contractors and others.
He was later arrested in Venezuela and had been in custody there since, however was returned to the U.S. in a big swap that additionally noticed the discharge of 10 American detainees by Venezuela in trade for the Biden administration releasing Alex Saab, a Colombian-born businessman and shut ally of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who was going through cash laundering expenses in Miami.
Francis, shackled and in a beige jumpsuit, stood by quietly as a federal Justice of the Peace choose in Miami ordered him to be transferred to the Southern District of California, the area the place his case was initially filed.
Prosecutors stated extra expenses can be introduced towards Francis for failing to look at a listening to in his ongoing bribery case in San Diego.
“Not proper now,” an in any other case expressionless however soft-spoken Francis stated in response to Justice of the Peace Decide Jacqueline Becerra’s query about whether or not he might afford an legal professional.
Francis was arrested in a San Diego resort practically a decade in the past as a part of a federal sting operation. Investigators say he bilked the U.S. army out of greater than $35 million by shopping for off dozens of top-ranking Navy officers with booze, intercourse, lavish events and different presents.
The scandal led to the conviction and sentencing of practically two dozen Navy officers, protection contractors and others on varied fraud and corruption expenses. Investigators say Francis, who owned and operated his household’s ship-servicing enterprise, abused his place as a key contact for U.S. Navy outlets at ports throughout Asia, wooing naval officers with Kobe beef, costly cigars, live performance tickets and wild intercourse events at luxurious accommodations from Thailand to the Philippines.
He pleaded responsible in 2015 and was allowed to remain out of jail at a rental house, on home arrest with a GPS ankle monitor and safety guards.
However weeks earlier than he confronted sentencing in September 2022, Francis made a daring escape as he lower off his ankle monitor and disappeared. Officers stated he fled to Mexico, made his approach to Cuba and ultimately received to Venezuela.
He was arrested a pair weeks later earlier than boarding a flight on the Simon Bolivar Worldwide Airport exterior Caracas. Venezuelan officers stated he supposed to succeed in Russia.
He had been in custody in Venezuela ever since, and officers stated he sought asylum there.
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Tucker reported from Washington.
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