KUALA LUMPUR – Penangite Leonard Glenn Francis, better known as Fat Leonard, was enjoying a decadent lifestyle despite being on house arrest, alleged several former employees.
Based on a report by The Washington Post, three former workers said Francis was waited on hand and foot, as well as provided with so much food that two to three trash bags of it were being thrown away.
Ricardo Buhain, a live-in security guard, claimed that servants were also hired to cater to the whims of Francis’ family.
“The servants really served him (Francis). They (the servants) bathed all of his kids and fed them 24/7.”
Buhain alleged that he was hired after being introduced to Francis by one of his doctors and was paid US$10,000 (RM45,785) monthly.
Anthony Galvan, who later replaced Buhain, was quoted as saying that he was paid about US$7,500 (RM34,338) a month while working 12-hour day shifts, during which he never observed any overnight security.
His time, he said, was spent on opening packages ordered online and that he would receive deliveries of furniture and books around the clock.
Aside from the apartment unit, Francis stayed at three private homes allowing him comfort and liberty – with the latest being a five-bedroom, seven-bath home in a gated community with a US$7,000 (RM32,049) monthly rent before he fled San Diego.
At the home, Francis supposedly brought in a film crew to interview him, said an aide named Perla Nation who helped with administrative tasks during his final month of house arrest.
She claimed that she saw no trace of guards or a security log despite being in the house several days a week.
On September 22, Francis was captured in Venezuela, two weeks after he cut off his GPS monitoring ankle bracelet and fled his home in San Diego.
His escape happened three weeks before he was supposed to be sentenced after pleading guilty to being involved in what is said to be the US Navy’s worst corruption scandal.
He could face up to 25 years in prison.
On September 16, it was reported that one of the five US Navy officers embroiled in the scandal – former rear admiral Bruce Loveless – is now off the hook after San Diego federal prosecutors dismissed his charges.
Besides accusations of being feted with expensive meals, luxury hotel rooms and entertainment by 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 24, 2022
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