After cutting off his ankle monitor and escaping house arrest last September 4, the infamous Malaysian defense contractor involved in the largest bribery scandal in U.S. Navy history, Leonard Glenn Francis, better known as "Fat Leonard," was captured by Interpol agents in Caracas, Venezuela. He was trying to flee to Russia.

According to the Associated Press, Fat Leonard was under house arrest in San Diego after being found guilty of trying to bribe naval officials. However, he cut off his ankle monitor earlier this month and escaped to Mexico before zipping through to other countries. He landed in Cuba before traveling to Venezuela.

Interpol Venezuela Director General Carlos Garate Rondon stated he was captured at the Simon Bolivar International Airport trying to catch a plane to Russia. Fat Leonard will be handed over to Venezuelan authorities to begin extradition proceedings, according to NPR.

Fat Leonard Would Have Gotten Away If He Escaped to Russia

Former U.S. Army lawyer Greg Rinckey spoke to the Associated Press about Fat Leonard's daring escape. He said that the fugitive used countries outside of the jurisdiction of the U.S. Marshals Service, with the exception of Mexico.

Rinckey also pointed out that he was caught just in time too, because if he actually made it to Russia, the Russians would not have turned him over to the United States, given the current tensions between the two countries.

Despite the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela, the two still have a standing extradition agreement. However, things might get difficult in extraditing the runaway fugitive as the United States does not officially recognize President Nicolas Maduro's socialist government, nor does it have any embassy in Venezuela. In addition, the United States has imposed crushing sanctions on the country.

However, there have been talks between the two most recently, with the Biden administration seeking to normalize ties between the United States and Venezuela in recent months. However, there is still no word whether or not Fat Leonard will be extradited to the United States.

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Who Is Fat Leonard and What Did He Do?

Leonard "Fat Leonard" Glenn Francis is a Malaysia-based defense contractor who tried working with the United States Navy. He tried getting defense contracts with the Navy through unscrupulous means, most notably bribing Navy officials.

The Guardian reported that Fat Leonard offered prostitution services, luxury hotels, cigars, gourmet meals, and more than $500,000 in bribes to Navy officials, as well as others involved in securing Navy contracts. This is all so his Singapore-based ship servicing company, Glenn Defense Marine Asia Ltd or GDMA, can land that sought-after U.S. defense contract.

Prosecutors pointed out that his company overcharged the United States Navy by at least $35m for servicing ships. Much of that cash went to ports he controlled in the Pacific.

The officers involved with him called themselves the Lion's King Harem, Brotherhood, and Wolfpack. They tried to recruit others in the scheme as well. Four naval officers have been found guilty along with Fat Leonard himself. 29 other people, including naval officers, have also pleaded guilty to their involvement in the scandal.

Before his daring escape, Fat Leonard was supposed to attend a hearing on his sentencing. He pleaded guilty in 2015 but was allowed to stay under house arrest for his medical care. He mostly cooperated with the prosecution before his escape.

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This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: "Fat Leonard," Architect Of Navy Bribery Scandal, Captured In Venezuela - CBS Miami