US Navy bribery case commander pleads guilty

[webfact]

US Navy bribery case commander pleads guilty
The Phuket News


Crew from the aircraft carrier USS Stennis board a GDMA shuttle boat in Phuket in 2013 to go on shore leave. Phuket News file photo

SAN DIEGO: A Navy commander pleaded guilty Tuesday (January 6) in a massive bribery scheme involving a longtime military contractor in Asia who allegedly offered luxury travel, prostitutes and other bribes to officers in exchange for confidential information about ships movements including ships visiting Phuket.

The Navy Times resported that Jose Luis Sanchez, 42, is the highest-ranking official to plead guilty in the case involving husbanding company Glenn Defense Marine Asia (GDMA), which rocked the Navy when the first charges were filed in 2013.

He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when he is sentenced March 27 for bribery and conspiracy to commit bribery.

Sanchez admitted taking bribes valued between $30,000 and $120,000 from 2009 to 2013, including a prostitute, $7,500 to travel from Asia to the United States and five days at Singapore's luxury Shangri-La Hotel, according to a 24-page plea agreement.

In exchange, he provided classified Navy ship and submarine schedules and other internal information to "Fat" Leonard Francis, chief executive of a Singapore-based company that provided services to US Navy vessels at ports including Phuket.

Sanchez, who lives in San Diego and remains on active duty, was asked to silently read four passages of the plea agreement and say if the wrongdoing described was accurate.

“Yes, sir,” he told U.S. Magistrate Judge David Bartick each time. A five-page addendum to the plea agreement was filed under seal.

Francis, known in military circles as “Fat Leonard,” and GDMA, serviced Navy ships for 25 years. Prosecutors say he bought information that allowed his company to overbill the Navy for port services in Asia by at least US$20 million (B600 million) since 2009.

Francis was arrested in September 2013 and has pleaded not guilty.

Sanchez, one of four Navy members charged in the case, held key positions in Singapore and Japan before he was reassigned to Tampa, Florida, in 2013. He is the fifth person to plead guilty in the case and the second Navy official after Daniel Layug, a petty officer who admitted providing classified shipping schedules and other internal Navy information to Francis.

Cmdr. Michael Vannak Khem Misiewicz, 47, was indicted Tuesday on an additional seven counts of bribery. Misiewicz, also of San Diego, has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery.

“Commander Sanchez sold out his command and country for cash bribes, luxury hotel rooms, and the services of prostitutes,” Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell said. “After today's guilty plea, instead of free stays at the Shangri-La hotel, Sanchez is facing many nights in federal prison.”

The Navy Times said that Robert Huie, an assistant US Attorney, wouldn't say if Sanchez was cooperating with authorities, but officials said the investigation was ongoing.

“We continue to unearth the full scope of this pernicious fraud and bribery scheme, and we will pursue the evidence, wherever it leads us,” said Laura Duffy, US Attorney for the Southern District of California.

For original story see here.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/us-navy-bribery-case-commander-pleads-guilty-50444.php


-- Phuket News 2015-01-07

[LawrenceChee]

A disgrace to the force

[thailiketoo]

Read about the Cambodian guy. http://humboldtsentinel.com/tag/fat-leonard-francis/

[squarethecircle]

Again, this pisses me off. Certainly no surprise to see links back to PRChina's government (as part of their massive "thank you" to the US for its role in defeating the Empire of Japan) which is well-entrenched in the elite circles of Chinese criminals* running Singapore:

http://chinawatchcanada.blogspot.com/2014/09/singapores-fat-leonard-bribes-us-navy.html

Then again, using seduction by prostitute to steal the enemies' data is an age-old trick:

http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/18/sex-and-espionage-a-long-and-sordid-history/

And more recently in Hawaii, where (how stupid can men be?):

http://www.fbi.gov/honolulu/press-releases/2014/hawaii-man-sentenced-to-87-months-imprisonment-for-communicating-classified-national-defense-information-to-unauthorized-person

Note to any US military members or intelligence reading this: if some b**** is trying to get classified information from you, pork her, then call the FBI

*and no it is not slander to describe Singapore's elite as either Chinese or criminals, as is firmly detailed in the article.*

-and to be clear I am not bigoted against Chinese people, it's just a simple fact that a high proportion of them involved in the elite of China or SE Asia do have tendencies towards money laundering, effective slavery practices, entrenchment with drug dealers, espionage, human trafficking, etc.

Edited January 8, 2015 by squarethecircle

[LawrenceChee]

Interesting how a post of a disgraced USA commander who lacks the moral values to make the right judgement and practice integrity would be steered into a Chinese post again

The commander in question lacked integrity and was seduced by the lights of money and greed

This is a personal lapse of judgement and he is a disgrace to the force and have let down the moral reputation of those who choose to say no

[Bakeman]

Unlike Thailand this is what happens to military members in the U.S. when dealing with fraud and bribery.

Throw away the key!

[squarethecircle]

"Interesting how a post of a disgraced USA commander who lacks the moral values to make the right judgement and practice integrity would be steered into a Chinese post again "

Hey, it was you all who chose to be the enemy. It was your choice.

[Benmart]

A disgrace to the Navy and the Country.

If found quilty, may he have many long and lonely years to reflect upon his dishonorable conduct.

"US Army, Ret."

[rickirs]

The Thai military must be amused by a democracy that can find and prosecute corruption in its armed forces. Just another reason for the Thai military to distant itself from the USA military and choose closer ties with the Chinese military.

[ravip]

Tea money goes international!!!

Why cannot this be digested!!!!

[ravip]

Interesting how a post of a disgraced USA commander who lacks the moral values to make the right judgement and practice integrity would be steered into a Chinese post again

The commander in question lacked integrity and was seduced by the lights of money and greed

This is a personal lapse of judgement and he is a disgrace to the force and have let down the moral reputation of those who choose to say no

Just ONE rare occurrence.

Oh yea!!! The party has begun!

[Lopchan]

"Interesting how a post of a disgraced USA commander who lacks the moral values to make the right judgement and practice integrity would be steered into a Chinese post again "

Hey, it was you all who chose to be the enemy. It was your choice.

Words fail me.....you weren't in Deliverance were you? Sooooooeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!