Arrests Made in Scandal

Three present and former Navy officers were arrested and now face charges that they provided information illegally to a foreign defense contractor in exchange for access to prostitutes and expensive gifts. Retired Capt. Michael Brooks of Fairfax Station, Va., Cmdr. Bobby Pitts of Chesapeake, Va., and Singapore-based Lt. Cmdr. Gentry Debord appeared in a San Diego federal court May 27, where they were charged with conspiracy to commit bribery. Pitts also is charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruction of official proceedings. The charges stem from an ongoing probe into illegal activities fostered by the Singaporean defense company Glenn Defense Marine Asia and its former CEO, Leonard Glenn Francis. According to the Justice Department, Francis received significant inroads to Navy defense contracts in exchange for the “lavish” largess he bestowed upon the officers. The company was able to bypass cargo inspections and pay lower custom fees and taxes, according to the charges.