KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysian Leonard Glenn Francis, nicknamed Fat Leonard, may have already left the United States after cutting off his GPS monitoring ankle bracelet and fleeing home arrest in San Diego, California last Sunday.
Supervisory deputy US Marshal Omar Castillo told Fox News that authorities “believed” the fugitive “has now left the country”, but could not share more details.
He also could not comment on potential accomplices due to the ongoing manhunt.
Penang-born Francis, who faces possible imprisonment for offering bribes to US naval officers in exchange for lucrative supply contracts, enjoyed a high degree of leniency during his house arrest.
According to court transcripts, Francis’ lawyers were able to secure him a medical furlough, which was later questioned in late 2020. The defence team also claimed that their client was too sick to be able to be treated at the US Prisons Bureau.
The fugitive was given a clean bill of health by a San Diego surgeon but his lawyers maintained that Francis had other health issues. His medical furlough was extended to May 23 this year, reported the Associated Press.
Currently, 10 US federal, state and local agencies have been ordered to hunt for Francis. Mexican authorities have also been told of Francis’ escape seeing that he is most likely to run for the border as the premises he was at is 40 minutes away.
The US Marshals Service also issued a notice appealing for public tips.
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which spearheaded the massive case against Francis more than a decade ago, is also assisting in the search for him.
Neighbours told authorities that they had seen U-Haul moving trucks going in and out of Francis’ home in the days leading up to his escape, Castillo had said.
Francis was scheduled to be back in court on September 22 for a sentencing hearing where he could potentially face up to 25 years in prison.
He was arrested in San Diego in 2013 and pleaded guilty in 2015, admitting to bribing several high-ranking naval officers and swindling the navy out of at least US$35 million (RM147 million at the present exchange rate) in overcharges.
He not only supplied essentials such as oil and food but reportedly also arranged for sex workers for top US Navy personnel in a case that embarrassed the US government.
While confined to a home in San Diego, Leonard worked as a cooperating witness for the prosecutors, who built cases against several others involved, including naval officials.
The US federal prosecutors had reportedly filed criminal charges against 33 people, including dozens of navy officers, in connection with the Fat Leonard scandal.
Leonard apparently began his career of corrupting the US military when he was invited to a July 4 celebration held by the US Embassy in Malaysia where he met with naval officers and attaches. – The Vibes, September 9, 2022
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