Navy censures 3 officers over ‘Fat Leonard’ scandal

June 20 (UPI) — The U.S. Navy on Wednesday censured three officers for their role in the so-called “Fat Leonard” corruption scandal.

Navy Secretary Richard Spencer issued the formal censures to Rear Adm. Richard Wren, Navy Capt. Timothy Conroy and retired Capt. Charles Johnson, Cmdr. Bill Speaks told The Washington Post. A censure is a formal acknowledgement of wrongdoing, but does not impact the officers’ retirement benefits or pay.

The scandal involves Leonard Glenn Francis, whose Singapore-based company, Glenn Defense Marine Asia, was given sensitive military information in exchange for wide-ranging bribes that included expensive gifts, wild parties and other lavish benefits totaling millions of dollars.

Spencer censured Wren, Conroy and Johnson for accepting gifts from the company.

“As a senior officer, you had a duty to represent the United States and the United States Navy in a way that upheld the values of our great nation and Navy,” Spencer wrote in the letter to Wren. “Rather, you intentionally disregarded the ethical standards long established for the naval service and brought ill-repute and disgrace upon our honored institution.”

The Justice Department has indicted 29 people for their involvement in the scandal and 20 have pleaded guilty, including Francis.

In February, Cmdr. Troy Amundson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery for his role in the scandal. The Justice Department said Amundson admitted that between September 2012 and October 2013, Francis paid for dinner, drinks, transportation and entertainment for himself and other Navy officers. In one case, Francis arranged prostitutes for Amundson in exchange for internal, proprietary Navy information.

“It is incumbent that naval officers, particularly those placed in positions of great trust and responsibility, be held to the highest standards of both personal and professional behavior,” Spencer said in a statement.