The mastermind behind the largest corruption scandal in US military history was sentenced to 15 years.

In 11 years after his initial arrest, Leonard Glenn Francis, also known as "Fat Leonard," was convicted of orchestrating one of the largest bribery and corruption scandals in U.S. military history.

A former military defense contractor was convicted of a decade-long scheme that involved dozens of U.S. Navy officials and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. He was also ordered to pay $20 million in restitution to the Navy and a $150,000 fine, as announced by the U.S. Attorney’s office.

In September 2022, Francis was scheduled to be sentenced, but he cut off his GPS monitor and fled the country. He was later arrested in 2023 after being found in Venezuela and brought back to the U.S.

His sentencing will take into account his role in the bribery as well as his escape from the country. He will receive credit for the more than 6 years he spent in custody in both the U.S. and Venezuela.

According to prosecutors, Frances confessed to providing Naval personnel with free meals, prostitutes, and other items in exchange for their assistance in securing port visits for his controlled locations. He then overcharged the Navy by more than $35 million dollars for his services.

"U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath stated on Tuesday that Leonard Francis used taxpayer money to line his pockets while damaging the integrity of the U.S. Naval forces. She added that his deceit and manipulation would have long-lasting consequences, but justice has been served with his conviction today."

Prosecutors acknowledged that his actions were "aggravated and egregious," but they also recognized that he should be commended for providing "detailed information on hundreds of individuals, from petty officers to admirals, including captains, commanders, Vice Admirals, and Rear Admirals," according to prosecutors.

Nearly 1,000 Navy officers, including 91 admirals, were scrutinized following their arrest.

Thirty-four defendants were charged with crimes by federal prosecutors, with 33 of them being convicted following information provided by Francis while in U.S. custody.

This report was contributed to by Chris Pandolfo of Planet Chronicle Digital and the Associated Press.