3 U.S. Rear Admirals Censured in "Fat Leonard" Scandal

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Friday February 13, 2015

Three U.S. Navy Rear Admirals will be receiving letters of censure from Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, after being caught up in the "Fat Leonard" bribery scandal, The Guardian reports.

It is said that the officers improperly accepted gifts, one of the officers solicited gifts for himself, and they "improperly endorsed a commercial business."

Rear Admiral Michael Miller, a special assistant to the superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy; Rear Admiral Terry Kraft, commander of U.S. naval forces in Japan; and Rear Admiral David Pimpo, commander of naval supply systems command are being reprimanded for their behaviour while assigned to aircraft carrier the USS Ronald Reagan.

It is understood they are the highest ranking officers to be punished so far over the affair.

A criminal investigation into the officers did not result in criminal charges but Mabus said the officers "demonstrated poor judgement and a failure of leadership in prior tours."

The "Fat Leonard" scandal has seen U.S. Navy officers as well as contractors arrested on charges of helping Glenn Defense Marine Asia (GDMA) to procure confidential information and overbill the U.S. Navy up to $20 million for supply contracts.

GDMA is said to have held more than $200 million worth of U.S. Navy contracts to supply ships, fuel, and other services to the U.S. Navy's Seventh Fleet in Pacific ports.

Last month, GDMA CEO Leonard Glenn Francis, also known as "Fat Leonard," changed his plea over bribery and corruption charges to guilty, after protesting innocence since his arrest in 2013.