SAN DIEGO (AP) – The United States (US) government posted a USD40,000 reward on Friday for information leading to the arrest of the Malaysian defence contractor nicknamed ‘Fat Leonard,’ who disappeared weeks before he was set to be sentenced for one of the largest bribery scandals in the nation’s military history.
Leonard Glenn Francis cut off his ankle monitoring bracelet around 7.35am last Sunday at a San Diego home where he was being held, according to the US Marshals Service.
Neighbours reported seeing U-Haul trucks coming and going from the home days before he disappeared.
Francis had been allowed to remain in home confinement to receive medical care while he cooperated with the prosecution.
With his help, prosecutors secured convictions of 33 of 34 defendants, including more than two dozen Navy officers.
Francis pleaded guilty in 2015 to offering prostitution services, luxury hotels, cigars, gourmet meals and more than USD500,000 in bribes to Navy officials and others to help his Singapore-based ship servicing company, Glenn Defence Marine Asia Ltd or GDMA.
Prosecutors said the company overcharged the Navy by at least USD35 million for servicing ships, many of which were routed to ports he controlled in the Pacific.
