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A4 U.S. NEWS
Friday 23 September 2022

Fugitive in massive Navy bribery case caught in Venezuela

By JULIE WATSON hearing as ordered, while one with the possibility of
Associated Press defense attorneys notified extradition. Malaysia and
SAN DIEGO (AP) — A Ma- the court that they would Singapore both have extra-
laysian defense contractor be filing a motion severing dition agreements with the
nicknamed “Fat Leonard” their ties with Francis due United States.
who orchestrated one of to an “irreparable break Francis pleaded guilty in
the largest bribery scandals down of the attorney-client 2015 to offering prostitu-
in U.S. military history has relationship.” tion services, luxury hotels,
been arrested in Venezu- Sammartino set a Dec. 14 cigars, gourmet meals
ela after fleeing before his status hearing for Francis and more than $500,000 in
sentencing, authorities said with the caveat that all bribes to Navy officials and
Wednesday. parties could meet sooner others to help his Singa-
The international manhunt depending on how events pore-based ship servicing
for Leonard Glenn Fran- unfold. company, Glenn Defense
cis ended with his arrest “I believe that’s all we can Marine Asia Ltd. or GDMA.
by Venezuelan authorities accomplish this morning,” Prosecutors said the com-
Tuesday morning at the Sammartino said. pany overcharged the
Caracas airport as he was The U.S. government fac- Navy by at least $35 million
about to board an airplane es an uphill challenge re- for servicing ships, many of
for another country, the turning the fugitive back which were routed to ports
U.S. Marshals Service said. to American soil. The U.S. he controlled in the Pacific.
Francis had traveled to government doesn’t rec- Francis had been allowed
Venezuela from Mexico ognize Nicolas Maduro’s to remain in home confine-
with a stopover in Cuba, socialist government, has ment to receive medical
Interpol Venezuela Direc- no embassy in the country care while he cooperated
tor General Carlos Garate and has imposed crushing with the prosecution. With
Rondon said in a statement sanctions on the country his help, prosecutors se-
posted on Instagram. Fran- that has further embittered cured convictions of 33 of
cis was headed to Russia relations. Law enforcement 34 defendants, including
and was arrested at the cooperation between the more than two dozen Navy
main international airport in This undated photo provided by the U.S. Marshals Service shows two countries is rare. officers.
Caracas, the agency said. Leonard Francis. Francis was under home ar- Sammartino had feared
The arrest came on the eve Associated Press rest in San Diego when he Francis would run when she
of his scheduled sentenc- At the sentencing hearing ously will have an impact cut off his GPS ankle brace- denied a request four years
ing in a federal court in Cal- Thursday, U.S. District Court on other cases,” she said. A let and escaped on Sept. 4. ago to allow him to be un-
ifornia for a bribery scheme Judge Janis Sammartino sentencing hearing for four Ten U.S. agencies searched der house arrest without
that lasted more than a de- announced to the court Navy officers who went to for Francis and authorities around-the-clock security
cade and involved dozens that Francis was in custo- trial in the case and were issued a $40,000 reward for guards.
of U.S. Navy officers. dy in Venezuela and that found guilty is set for Octo- his arrest. The judge repeatedly main-
There was no immediate a “no bail arrest warrant” ber. U.S. authorities also issued a tained that security guards
word on when he might had been issued. Prosecutors asked the court red notice, which asks law must be on site for Francis
be extradited to the United “This turn of events raises to note that Francis failed enforcement worldwide to to be on house arrest, de-
States. several issues, and obvi- to appear at his sentencing provisionally arrest some- spite his poor health.q

Heckler who slapped Giuliani on back can have charge dropped

NEW YORK (AP) — A man publican party’s nomina- was standing with a group walking past reached out, we are young keep your
charged with assault after tion for governor. Giuliani of people when a man touched Giuliani’s back hands to yourself.” But the
he was seen on a video with an open palm and district attorney said prov-
slapping the back of for- then said something as he ing in court that the man
mer New York Mayor Ru- walked away. caused physical injury or in-
dolph Giuliani accepted a Giuliani appeared to barely tended to do so would be
deal Wednesday to have react in the video, but later “extremely difficult.” Susan
the charges dismissed. said it felt “like somebody Platis, an attorney with the
According to the Richmond shot me” or that he had Legal Aid Society’s Staten
County district attorney’s been hit by a boulder. Af- Island trial office who rep-
office, the case has been ter slapping Giuliani’s back, resented the man, said he
adjourned in contempla- police alleged the man has no prior criminal record
tion of dismissal, which said, “What’s up, scum- and “did not commit any
means the charges will be bag?” He was arrested and criminal act, and this out-
dropped in six months if the spent more than 24 hours in come, which will ultimately
man stays out of trouble. jail. In a statement read in dismiss the case in its entire-
The incident occurred in court Wednesday, Assistant ty, reflects that reality.” A
June while Giuliani, 78, was Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani arrives to the Richmond County District message was left Wednes-
at a Staten Island super- ceremonies to commemorate the 21st anniversary of the Sept. Attorney Darren Albanese day at an email address
market in support of his son 11 terrorist attacks, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022, at the National said the man “violated a listed for Giuliani and with a
Andrew’s ultimately unsuc- September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York. basic social contract which lawyer who frequently rep-
cessful bid to win the Re- Associated Press is a lesson taught when resents him.q