Wednesday, January 7, 2015

CDR Sanchez Pleads Guilty in "Fat Leonard" Bribery Scandal

U.S. Navy Commander Jose Luis Sanchez
Navy Commander Pleads Guilty in Bribery Scandal | NBC 7 San Diego

U.S. Navy Commander Jose Luis Sanchez, 42, admitted to bribery and conspiracy to commit bribery in a plea deal. From 2009 to 2013, Sanchez accepted prostitutes, luxury travel, entertainment  and $100,000 cash from Malaysian contractor Leonard Francis, known in military circles as "Fat Leonard," the plea agreement says. In exchange, Sanchez gave Francis, the CEO of  Glenn Defense Marine Asia (GDMA), classified Navy ship schedules and other proprietary, internal information.

According to the plea deal, Sanchez would forward internal emails to Francis when they mentioned competitors or investigations into overbillings by GDMA, which coordinated and scheduled goods and services for Navy ships coming into port.

Source: http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/San-Diego-Navy-Bribery-Scandal-Jose-Luiz-Sanchez-Fat-Leonard-287700541.html#ixzz3O9nn9XPs

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Leonard Glenn Francis, wealthy Malaysian contractor
Navy Was Warned of Contractor at Center of Bribery Inquiry - NYTimes.com
Leonard Glenn Francis, a wealthy Malaysian contractor at the heart of one of the United States Navy’s largest bribery scandals in decades. 
At 6 feet 3 inches and 350 pounds, Mr. Francis hosted dinners at luxury hotels in  Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong for senior officers who knew him as Fat  Leonard, dispensing boxes of Cuban cigars and dropping the names of admirals he knew, senior Navy officers said.
But as his reputation for lavish parties spread, so too did warnings about his business practices, according to Navy officials and court documents. Emails obtained by criminal investigators show that from 2009 to early 2011, several ship crews and contracting officials filed complaints about his “gold-plated” fees for fuel, port security and other services. In 2010, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service opened investigations into questionable charges in Thailand and Japan by his company, documents show.
Despite those red flags, in June 2011, the Navy awarded Mr. Francis $200 million in contracts, giving him control over providing supplies and dockside services for its fleet across the Pacific.

US Navy Commander Jose Luis Sanchez Pleads Guilty In Bribery Case - Business Insider
As a US Navy commander, Jose Luis Sanchez helped oversee operations in an area spanning Japan, Russia, Singapore, Australia, and many other countries across Asia. Now, he is the highest-ranking official to plead guilty in a massive bribery scheme that has rocked the Navy.
The bribes that destroyed Sanchez's career and leave him facing a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison are valued at no more than $120,000, according to a plea agreement. That includes payment to prostitutes, $7,500 to travel from Asia to the United States, five days at Singapore's luxury Shangri-La Hotel, and cash.

Previously:

spendergast: Navy Procurement Bribery Scandal Reaches NCIS and top Admirals

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