[UPDATED] Fat Leonard caught in Venezuela after over two weeks on the run

KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysian Leonard Glenn Francis, nicknamed Fat Leonard, who fled home arrest in the US after cutting off his GPS monitoring ankle bracelet more than two weeks ago has been captured in Venezuela. 

According to CBS News, the Penang-born military contractor  was detained on an Interpol red notice at Simon Bolivar International Airport in Caracas, the capital of the South American country. 

The report quoted US Marshals Service saying that he was boarding a flight to Cuba when he was nabbed.

The US Marshals believed Leonard had escaped to Mexico after managing to flee from his house in San Diego near the border on September 4.

On September 6, it was reported that Francis was on the run, just three weeks before he was supposed to begin his potentially up to 25-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to being involved in what is said to be the US Navy’s worst corruption scandal.  

Regarding charges related to Francis’ services, over 30 Navy officers and contractors have either been convicted or pleaded guilty. 

One of the five US Navy officers embroiled in the scandal – former rear admiral Bruce Loveless – was then reported on September 16 to be off the hook after San Diego federal prosecutors dismissed his charges. 

Four other officers – former commander Mario Herrera and former captains David Newland, James Dolan and David Lausman – were convicted of conspiracy, bribery and other charges. 

Besides accusations of being feted with expensive meals, luxury hotel rooms and prostitutes that were paid for by Francis, prosecutors also claimed that the defendants had accepted bribes to provide Francis with classified information. 

They were also accused of abusing their navy positions to ensure ships berthing at ports were serviced by Francis’ Singapore-based company, Glenn Defence Marine Asia. 

The company allegedly overcharged the US Navy by more than US$35 million (RM147 million).  – The Vibes, September 22, 2022