Admiral, seven others charged with corruption in new 'Fat Leonard' indictment

[DonViejo]

Source: The Washington Post


By Craig Whitlock March 14 at 3:34 PM

The Justice Department unsealed a fresh indictment Tuesday charging eight current and former Navy officials — including an admiral — with corruption and other crimes in the “Fat Leonard” bribery case, escalating an epic scandal that has dogged the Navy for the past four years.

Among those charged were Rear Adm. Bruce Loveless, a senior Navy intelligence officer based at the Pentagon, several Navy captains and a retired colonel from the Marine Corps. The charges cover a period of eight years, from 2006 through 2014.

The Navy personnel are accused of taking bribes in the form of lavish gifts, prostitutes and luxury hotel stays courtesy of Leonard Glenn Francis, a Singapore-based defense contractor who has already pleaded guilty to defrauding the Navy of tens of millions of dollars.

The indictment lists page after page of bribes allegedly consumed by the defendants — seven senior officers and one enlisted sailor — including $25,000 watches, $2,000 boxes of Cohiba cigars, $2,000 bottles of cognac and $600-per-night hotel rooms.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/admiral-seven-others-charged-with-corruption-in-new-fat-leonard-indictment/2017/03/14/faf01600-08da-11e7-b77c-0047d15a24e0_story.html?pushid=breaking-news_1489520757&tid=notifi_push_breaking-news&utm_term=.f7512531b98a

[PsychoBabble]

1. Sounds like those fully-stocked hotel rooms included ...

... more than just, ummm, cigars.

[nitpicker]

2. Link to SD Union-Trib article

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/courts/sd-me-leonard-indictment-20170314-story.html

(snip)

Among the indicted is Adm. Bruce Loveless, who was the Navy’s director of intelligence operations. Loveless retired in October but had been under investigation for his role in the scandal for several years. He was arrested Tuesday morning at his home in Coronado and was scheduled to appear in court in the afternoon.

Also named in the indictment was Navy Capt. David Newland, former chief of staff to the commander of the Seventh Fleet, the service’s largest fleet and the center of the bribery scheme.

Others indicted from the Navy were Capt. Donald Hornbeck, Capt. James Dolan, Capt. David Lausman, Lt. Cmdr. Stephen Shedd, Cmdr. Mario Herrera and Chief Warrant Officer Robert Gorsuch. Also named in the indictment was Marine Col. Enrico Deguzman.
(snip)

The indictment also references a member of the Royal Australian Navy identified only as “AG” as a member of the conspiracy.
(snip)

[nitpicker]

3. Actually, the UT double-counted Herrera

He had already been indicted.

[Initech]

4. Is there any part of our government that isn't corrupt right now?

[Bernardo de La Paz]

5. Yes, almost all of it. Good people are everywhere & didn't suddenly become bad because of tRump. nt

[nitpicker]

6. Link to the DoJ PR

https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdca/pr/us-navy-admiral-plus-eight-officers-indicted-part-corrupt-team-worked-together-trade

(snip)

The defendants face various charges including bribery, conspiracy to commit bribery, honest services fraud and obstruction of justice and making false statements to federal investigators when confronted about their actions. Two defendants – Shedd and Herrera - are active duty; the others are recently retired.

The indictment is a veritable 78-page list of allegations in which Francis spent tens of thousands of dollars on bribing the defendants and the actions the officers took to reciprocate. Francis plied the officers with things like foie gras terrine, duck leg confit, ox-tail soup, $2,000 boxes of cigars and $2,000 bottles of rare cognac, plus wild sex parties in fancy hotels.
(snip)