SAN DIEGO (AP) — A fugitive protection contractor nicknamed “Fat Leonard” who claims to have incriminating intercourse photographs of U.S. Navy brass may grow to be the most recent bargaining chip in Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s efforts to win official recognition from the Biden administration, in response to experts.
But it’s unclear how arduous the U.S. authorities will struggle for the return of Leonard Glenn Francis, the Malaysian proprietor of a ship servicing firm in Southeast Asia who’s the central character in one of many largest bribery scandals in Pentagon historical past.
He fled dwelling custody in San Diego on Sept. 4 and was arrested by Venezuelan police Tuesday making an attempt to board a flight on the Simon Bolivar International Airport exterior Caracas. Francis had his first courtroom look Thursday, in response to a regulation enforcement official in Venezuela who spoke Friday to The Associated Press on situation of anonymity as a result of he was not licensed to debate judicial proceedings.
The official, who had been briefed on the case, stated now it’s as much as the United States to make the following transfer. U.S. authorities have 30 days to formally request his extradition, one thing that the official seen as unlikely provided that the Biden administration acknowledges opposition chief Juan Guaido — not Maduro — because the nation’s reliable ruler.
Venezuela and the United States have an extradition settlement but it surely’s not clear if U.S. authorities have made a proper request. In an e-mail, a Department of Justice spokesperson stated the company doesn’t touch upon extradition-related issues. Even below regular circumstances, extraditions can take many months and even years to finish.
The Biden administration doesn’t formally acknowledge Maduro’s socialist authorities, has no embassy in Venezuela and has imposed crushing sanctions on the nation which have additional embittered relations.
U.S. indictments in opposition to Maduro and several other members of his inside circle on narco-terrorism or cash laundering prices has been a significant irritant between the international locations. The most critical case entails businessman Alex Saab, who was apprehended on a U.S. warrant in 2020 whereas making a gas cease in Cape Verde en path to Iran. Maduro considers Saab a Venezuelan diplomat and has spared no effort combating to deliver him again.
“I have no doubt the Venezuelans will make hay of (Francis’ arrest), especially because they have felt the effects of the long arm of the U.S. justice system,” stated David Smilde, a longtime knowledgeable on Venezuela who teaches at Tulane University.
Francis is the mastermind of an enormous bribery scheme that ensnared dozens of Navy officers. Francis admitted to wooing them with intercourse events in Asia in trade for categorized info on Navy ship routes that he used to learn his Singapore-based firm.
Francis pleaded responsible in 2015 and confronted as much as 25 years in jail. While awaiting sentencing, he was given dwelling confinement in San Diego to obtain medical care. He offered info to U.S. prosecutors that secured the convictions of 33 of 34 defendants.
But with the case nearing its finish and his sentencing listening to simply weeks away, he reduce off his ankle monitor and disappeared throughout the border into Mexico. Venezuelan authorities say he then went to Cuba after which Venezuela, and was planning to go to Russia when he was apprehended.
In his heyday, the towering man with a large girth and gregarious character wielded big affect as a most important level of contact for U.S. Navy ships throughout Asia. His household’s ship servicing enterprise, Singapore-based Glenn Defense Marine Asia Ltd. or GDMA, provided meals, water and gas to vessels for many years.
He plied officers with Kobe beef, costly cigars, live performance tickets and intercourse events at luxurious inns from Thailand to the Philippines. In trade, commanders went so far as steering their ships, largely from the Navy’s seventh Fleet, to ports he managed so he may cowl up as a lot as $35 million in faux prices.
It’s unclear what info, if any, Francis has that would deliver additional embarrassment to the U.S. Navy. Still, Smilde stated he wouldn’t be stunned to see Francis pop up in a Venezuelan-government produced confession video hinting that he has extra salacious particulars.
“I’m sure the Venezuelans would delight in that,” he stated.
Neither U.S. nor Venezuelan officers have launched particulars about how Francis spent his time on the run or what he deliberate to do in Russia, however his travels to a few international locations in a interval of two weeks point out he had entry to cash and different assist.
It’s unclear if Francis had contacts in Russia providing to guard him, and if he did, what they needed in return. Francis bragged about nonetheless holding compromising photographs and movies of Navy officers.
“What really worried the United States the most was these officers being corrupted by me, that they would be corruptible by the foreign powers,” Francis stated in an interview with podcaster Tom Wright, who created a nine-part collection on the case final 12 months.
Jason Forge, a former federal prosecutor in San Diego concerned in high-profile extradition instances out of Mexico, stated Francis may attempt to persuade Venezuela that he’s acquired one thing to supply, however Forge doubts he actually does. Francis, who was put below home arrest after present process surgical procedures, in response to courtroom paperwork, additionally has been a pricey prisoner due to his failing well being.
“Even assuming he has embarrassing photos and videos of various naval officers, unless they’re of Hunter Biden at one of the parties, I just don’t see the U.S. caring,” he stated, referring to Biden’s son.
U.S. officers level out that Venezuela doesn’t seem to have stopped Francis on his method into the nation and will simply deport him on their very own with none judicial continuing.
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Goodman reported from Miami.
