Fat Leonard’s Escape as Stunning as His Navy Bribery Case – NBC 7 San Diego
The notorious defense contractor, Leonard Glenn Francis, widely known as “Fat Leonard,” has returned to the United States from Venezuela, marking a significant development in a major Pentagon bribery scandal. Francis, central to one of the largest bribery scandals in U.S. military history, had been in custody in Venezuela following his escape from the U.S. before a sentencing hearing. The return was part of a complex prisoner swap between the U.S. and Venezuela, involving the release of 10 American detainees and the return of another high-profile figure, Alex Saab, a close ally of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Facing a federal judge in Miami, Francis, who had cut off his ankle monitor before his disappearance, is expected to confront additional charges related to his failure to appear at a hearing in his ongoing bribery case in San Diego. The scandal involved Francis bribing Navy officials, defense contractors, and others, leading to convictions and sentences for nearly two dozen individuals. Francis had previously pleaded guilty in 2015 but escaped before his 2022 sentencing, leading to a decade-long pursuit. The case has now taken a new turn as he awaits further legal proceedings in the Southern District of California
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