Leonard Francis, also known as "Fat Leonard," was sentenced Tuesday to 15 years in prison for orchestrating a sprawling bribery scheme that ensnared a generation of senior Navy officers for over more than a decade in San Diego.
Judge Janis Sammartino said Francis, as the "mastermind" of the elaborate conspiracy, ruined the careers of dozens of people and shattered lives.
"The ruined lives include your own, Mr. Francis," Sammartino said from the bench.
Francis pleaded guilty to bribery and conspiracy charges in 2015, admitting to bribing scores of U.S. Navy officials — including civilian contracting agents, ship captains, admirals, and at least one Naval Criminal Investigative Service agent. He was arrested at a downtown San Diego hotel in September 2013.
Francis escaped from house arrest in San Diego and fled to Venezuela in 2022 just before he was originally scheduled to be sentenced. He was arrested by Venezuelan authorities and held for a year until being returned to the U.S. in a prisoner swap.
Francis also pleaded guilty Tuesday to a failure-to-appear charge stemming from escaping house arrest.
Francis turned over reams of evidence prosecutors used to build cases against almost three dozen Navy officials. Over five years, he met with investigators more than 50 times, prosecutors said. Because of his “unprecedented” level of cooperation, prosecutors asked that Francis be sentenced to 11 1/2 years, including time served.
William Sprague, one of Francis' attorneys, said six more years in jail would amount to a "death sentence." Francis was released on medical furlough in 2017 to receive treatment for renal cancer, Sprague said. He's since had his gall bladder and one kidney removed.
Francis thanked Sammartino for releasing him on furlough, something he said saved his life. He told her what he did was "inexcusable and wrong" and said he was "truly sorry."
"I sincerely regret my misconduct that led to this day," Francis told the judge.
Sammartino credited Francis' cooperation with prosecutors but said she also had to account for his 2022 flight from justice.
"Neither you, nor the government, has explained how the escape occurred," Sammartino said.
In addition to the 15-year sentence, Francis was fined $150,000 and ordered to pay $20 million in restitution. His company, Glenn Defense Marine Asia — a co-defendant in the case — received a $36 million fine.
Francis was credited with six and a half years’ time served, meaning he’s due to spend the next eight and a half years behind bars.
