Ex-Naval attache admits securing clearances for bribes
Source: Associated Press
Julie Watson, Associated Press
Updated 7:27 pm, Tuesday, November 15, 2016
SAN DIEGO (AP) A former U.S. Naval attache to the U.S. embassy in the Philippines illicitly secured diplomatic clearances for a Malaysian defense contractor in exchange for luxury watches and the services of prostitutes, pleading guilty to bribery charges Tuesday in the Navy's worst corruption scandal.
Retried Navy Capt. Michael Brooks, 57, is the latest of nearly a dozen current and former Navy officials charged in the corruption case involving Leonard Francis, the CEO of Glenn Defense Marine Asia, or GDMA, whose company serviced Navy ships in Asia for 25 years and overbilled the maritime branch by nearly 35 million. Neither Brooks nor his lawyer could be reached for comment.
According to the plea agreement, Brooks, who served as the U.S. naval attache in Manila from 2006 to 2008, secured quarterly diplomatic clearances under the U.S. embassy for the vessels of Francis' company to travel in and out of the Philippines without being subjected to inspections. It also limited the amount of taxes and customs fees the company had to pay.
Shortly thereafter, Francis, nicknamed "Fat Leonard" because of his large size, paid for a stretch limousine to take one of Brooks' family members to a social event, according to court documents.
Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/Ex-Naval-attache-admits-securing-clearances-for-10616743.php
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Prostitutes, vacations and cash: The Navy officials Fat Leonard took down
Some of the bribes Navy personnel have been convicted of taking
Meals, alcohol, gifts and stays at luxury hotels, including one night with his family at the Marriott Waikiki in Hawaii One night with a prostitute at the Shangri-La hotel in Makati, Philippines One night at a Tokyo hotel Four nights at a Manila hotel, along with a prostitute Four nights at a Hong Kong hotel, along with a prostitute Free vacations for him and his extended family in Cambodia, Malaysia and Singapore The services of prostitutes in Manila and Japan Tickets to a Lady Gaga concert in Thailand Tickets to the Lion King musical in Japan A designer handbag for his wife Cash and other gifts worth up to 140,000 Travel expenses, including hotel stays in Singapore, Tokyo and Manila Prostitutes Roundtrip airfare from Japan to the United States 3,000 in cash Night with a prostitute at a karaoke club in Malaysia Three nights at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Singapore Three nights at the Grand Hyatt in Hong Kong Two nights at the Empire Hotel in Hong Kong Nine days lodging in Tonga Monthly 1,000 cash allowance Electronic gadgets, including a cellphone, iPad, digital camera and Wii and PSP video-gaming consoles Hotel rooms for him and his Navy friends in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, South Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong Cash Laptop computer Travel expenses, including airfare to Bangkok and two nights there in a hotel A prostitute from the Philippines Three-week, five-country vacation in Southeast Asia
By Craig Whitlock and Kevin Uhrmacher
Published May 27, 2016. Updated June 9, 2016.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/investigations/seducing-the-seventh-fleet/
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Leonard Glenn Francis
"Fat Leonard"
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