Leonard Glenn Francis, better known as “Fat Leonard,” a defense contractor who fled before he was set to be sentenced for one of the largest bribery scandals in U.S. military history, was taken into custody Wednesday in Venezuela, according to media reports.
Francis was taken into custody by Venezuelan authorities as he was boarding a plane to another country, the U.S. Marshals Service said. Francis reportedly had entered the country from Mexico with a stopover in Cuba and was headed to Russia.
The government had posted a $40,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the Malaysian defense contractor.
Francis cut off his ankle monitoring bracelet Sept. 4 at a San Diego home where he was being held and fled, according to the Marshals Service.
He had been allowed to remain in home confinement to receive medical care while he cooperated with the prosecution. With his help, prosecutors secured convictions of more than two dozen Navy officers
Francis pleaded guilty in 2015 to offering prostitution services, luxury hotels, cigars, gourmet meals, and more than $500,000 in bribes to Navy officials and others to help his Singapore-based ship servicing company, Glenn Defense Marine Asia.