WANTS TO STAY

‘Fat Leonard’ Requests Asylum in Venezuela After Capture

The contractor who caused a national security breach skipped town after cutting off his ankle bracelet.

The man at the core of the “Fat Leonard” U.S. national security breach has requested asylum in Venezuela a week after being captured by authorities. Leonard Glenn Francis, a Malaysian contractor, was on house arrest in San Diego for his cooperation with prosecutors on the case. However, he managed to cut off his GPS monitor ankle bracelet and escape to Venezuela just weeks before his sentencing. Under the guise of his firm, Glenn Defense Marine Asia Ltd., Francis supplied resources and food to the Navy for decades. In 2015, he admitted to bribing Navy leaders with sex workers and luxuries in order to overcharge the organization—by a whopping $35 million—for his services. At the time, he faced up to 25 years in prison. Francis was nabbed and taken into custody in Venezuela Sept. 21 as he was attempting to board a plane to another country, Marshals Service spokesperson Omar Castillo told NBC San Diego at the time. The U.S. has 30 days to formally request his extradition back to the country.