The Arrest and Release of 'Fat Leonard': From Navy Scandal to Venezuelan Prisoner Swap
Leonard Francis, also known as "Fat Leonard," a defense contractor involved in a massive Pentagon bribery scandal, is being extradited to the U.S. as part of a prisoner swap deal with Venezuela. Francis had escaped from house arrest in San Diego in 2022 but was captured in Venezuela. He had pleaded guilty to bribing naval officers and overcharging the Pentagon for services, resulting in a loss of $35 million. Francis will now face sentencing in the U.S. after embarrassing the government with his escape.