Ex-US naval attache pleads guilty to taking bribes in ‘Fat Leonard’ corruption case

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USS Mobile Bay, USS Russell and USS Shoup perform a pass and review with the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Published: 2:13pm, 16 Nov 2016

A former US Naval attache to the US embassy in the Philippines illicitly secured diplomatic clearances for a Malaysian defence contractor in exchange for luxury watches and the services of prostitutes, pleading guilty to bribery charges on Tuesday in the Navy’s worst corruption scandal.

Retried Navy Captain 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 Defence Marine Asia, or GDMA, whose company serviced Navy ships in Asia for 25 years and overbilled the maritime branch by nearly US$35 million. Neither Brooks nor his lawyer could be reached for comment.

According to the plea agreement, Brooks, who served as the US naval attache in Manila from 2006 to 2008, secured quarterly diplomatic clearances under the US 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.

Admiral Mike Mullen with Leonard Glenn Francis. Francis, aka Fat Leonard, was a Malaysian defence contractor who supplied US Navy vessels in Asia for a quarter century. Photo: The Washington Post.

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.

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