Petaling Jaya – The US San Diego Fugitives Task Force is searching for Malaysian fugitive Leonard Francis, better known as “Fat Leonardo”, who had severed his GPS bracelet and escaped house arrest in San Diego.
The US Marshals Service has tweeted that it is offering a reward of US$40,000 (S$56,000) for information leading to his arrest.
Penang-born Francis, who was under house arrest in San Diego, Calif., had pleaded guilty to authorities days before his sentencing by amputating the monitor in his ankle.
Unknown to federal observers, court documents show that he had moved his belongings from the property where he lived with his mother and children for several days. the official said.
He made a plea bargain to cooperate with prosecutors who reportedly helped secure the convictions of at least 29 Navy officers and defense contractors in one of the largest corruption scandals in the U.S. military. , had been allowed to remain under house arrest since 2018.
Francis was being treated for kidney cancer, among other health issues, during his home arrest in Carmel Valley.
The 58-year-old defense contractor was arrested on fraud and bribery charges in September 2013 after federal agents lured him to San Diego on the pretext of meeting with Navy officials.
In January 2015, he was accused of bribery and corruption, including providing prostitution services, luxury hotels, cigars, gourmet meals, and bribes of more than $500,000 to Navy officials to support Singapore-based ship maintenance company Glenn. He pleaded guilty to fraud from the United States. Defense Maritime Asia Overbilling US Navy.
He was scheduled to be sentenced on September 22nd.
He also used U.S. Navy contacts, including captains, to obtain classified information, direct ships to certain ports in the Pacific, and defrauded the U.S. Navy of tens of millions of dollars by falsifying service charges. I acknowledged that
If convicted, he would face up to 25 years in prison and agreed to forfeit $35 million in personal assets. – Star/Asia News Network
