FILE – This undated picture offered by the U.S. Marshals Service reveals Leonard Francis. The Malaysian defense professional nicknamed “Fat Leonard,” who managed among the biggest bribery scandals in U.S. military history, has actually been apprehended in Venezuela after leaving prior to his sentencing, authorities stated Wednesday, Sept. 21,2022 (Courtesy of U.S. Marshals Service by means of AP, File) The Associated Press By JULIE WATSON and REGINA GARCIA CANO, Associated Press SAN DIEGO (AP)– Since getting away 2 weeks back, authorities state the fugitive Malaysian defense specialist nicknamed “Fat Leonard”– who managed among the U.S. Navy’s biggest bribery scandals– zipped in between nations to discover a location where he might end up being essentially untouchable for American authorities. It practically worked. After cutting off an ankle screen and escaping from home arrest in San Diego on Sept. 4, U.S. and Venezuelan authorities state Leonard Glenn Francis crossed the border into Mexico, then took a trip to Cuba and Venezuela, where he was apprehended Tuesday at Simón Bolívar International Airport outside Caracas. Francis was preparing to take a trip to Russia, according to Interpol Venezuela Director General Carlos Garate Rondon, who divulged the arrest in a declaration published Wednesday on Instagram. He stated Francis would be turned over to the nation’s judicial authorities to start extradition procedures. Political Cartoons Greg Rinckey, a previous Army legal representative who is now in personal practice, stated he thinks Francis was “attempting to play the angle of utilizing some nations to get outside the jurisdiction of the U.S. Marshals Service.” “It appears like they captured him in the nick of time,” Rinckey stated. “If he made it to Russia, I do not think the Russians would have turned him over to us.” And while Venezuela and the United States have an extradition contract, the U.S. federal government might deal with an uphill difficulty returning the fugitive to American soil. The Biden administration does not formally acknowledge President Nicolas Maduro’s socialist federal government, has no embassy in Venezuela and has actually enforced squashing sanctions on the nation that have more embittered relations. Police cooperation in between the 2 nations is unusual. There was no instant word on when Francis may be extradited to the U.S. The arrest began the eve of his scheduled sentencing in a federal court in California for a bribery plan that lasted years. Francis pleaded guilty in 2015 and had actually been enabled to stay in house confinement to get treatment while he worked together with the prosecution. With his assistance, district attorneys protected convictions of 33 of 34 offenders, consisting of more than 2 lots Navy officers. The imposing guy with a large girth and gregarious character wielded extraordinary impact as a bottom line of contact for U.S. Navy ships at ports throughout Asia. His household’s ship maintenance company
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