Fifteen top naval officers have been charged in a bribery scandal in which they allegedly received hundreds of thousands of dollars in luxury goods and the services of prostitutes, The Washington Post reports.
Authorities say officers who served on the USS Blue Ridge, the flagship of the Navy's 7th Fleet, took bribes from or lied about their ties to "Fat Leonard" Francis, a 6-foot-3, 350-pound defense contractor who maintained lucrative contracts to service Navy ships and submarines in Asia.
Navy documents obtained by The Post under the Freedom of Information Act claim that between 2006 and 2013, "Fat Leonard" gave out gifts, hosted feasts and sponsored sex parties for Blue Ridge personnel on at least 45 occasions.
Perks totaling about $1 million included gourmet meals, booze, vacations, airline tickets, custom-made suits, Cuban cigars, designer watches and handbags, concert tickets, cases of beef, and the company of hookers, The Post said.
Francis, 53, has pleaded guilty to bribery and defrauding the military of $35 million, according to the newspaper. More than 60 admirals have reportedly come under investigation by the Justice Department and the Navy.
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