SAN DIEGO, Jan. 7 (UPI) — A U.S. Navy commander has admitted taking money, high-end travel and the services of prostitutes from Singapore contractor “Fat Leonard” Francis.
Jose Luis Sanchez, 42, became the fifth person so far and the highest-ranking to plead guilty in the kickback scandal. He appeared in U.S. District Court in San Diego on Tuesday.
Federal prosecutors said that Sanchez gave Francis, owner of Glenn Defense Marine Asia, information on the schedules of ships visiting Singapore. The company provides services to vessels visiting the city-state.
In return, Sanchez got $100,000 in cash and free travel for his “wolfpack” of Navy friends. In one email quoted in court records, Sanchez also asked for photographs of prostitutes, saying that would give him “motivation.”
Francis and Cmdr. Michael Misiewicz, former deputy operations officer on the Blue Ridge, have been charged but not yet tried. Misiewicz allegedly steered work to Glenn Defense in return for perks like tickets to “The Lion King.”
Four people have entered guilty pleas: John Beliveau II, a supervisory special agent with the Naval Criminal Intelligence Service, Alex Wisidagama,a cousin of Francis and executive at Glenn Defense, Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Dan Layug, who was a logistics specialist at a U.S. base in Yokosuka, Japan, and Edmond Aruffo, who went to work for Francis after retiring from the Navy as a lieutenant commander.
Several other naval personnel have been suspended or demoted but have not yet been criminally charged.
Prosecutors said Sanchez forwarded emails to Francis involving Glenn Defense competitors and investigations into alleged overbilling by the company. In one case, when Francis had requested information, Sanchez replied “Ask and you shall receive.”
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