The Navy’s ‘Fat Leonard’ scandal has led to a void in senior leadership and stalled the advancement of officers’ careers, according to a Jan. 24 report by the U.S. Naval Institute (USNI) Press.
The case, which involved bribes paid to Navy officers and $35 million in overbillings by a contractor named Leonard Francis, led to 33 indictments and 22 guilty pleas, USNI reported. The investigation involved hundreds of personnel.
Former Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus told USNI called the effects on the service’s upper ranks “devastating.” One retired flag officer said the probe essentially touched upon every Navy officer who worked in the Pacific theater of operations. Because it is ongoing, many officers feel that any new assignments to the Pacific could damage their careers.