Remember the Fat Leonard shennagins?

[the watcher]

An investigation into bribery, misappropriation, and fraud of defense funds that resulted in convictions. Dozens of naval officers and contractors were identified and a few convicted. Well, that was pretty well softballed I thought at the time, embarrassment to the dod and I thought at the time that maybe this would send a message to the procurement and oversight people. No. Let the shit clear the fan, and here's what we do. Talk about the proper use of the RICO laws, this could have been used to really see what the truth is in dod funding, I think this is a lot more systemic that we want to believe. Former Navy officers’ ‘Fat Leonard’ convictions vacated

 

[rampart]

$100 fine? and from a civilian court?

the cases are classic court martial material and, at the very least "conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman" should carry a reduction in rank and dismissal from service.

 

[Magnus]

$100 fine? and from a civilian court?

the cases are classic court martial material and, at the very least "conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman" should carry a reduction in rank and dismissal from service.

Yup, the prosecutors fucked up.

Nearly 10 years to the day since federal prosecutors filed the first charges in what would come to be known as the “Fat Leonard” scandal and grow into the largest bribery and corruption case in U.S. Navy history, an assistant U.S. attorney on Wednesday admitted to “serious issues” involving prosecutorial misconduct.

The remarkable admission came during a sentencing hearing for four former Navy officers who were convicted of several felonies during a trial last year. But those convictions were vacated Wednesday, and the defendants resolved their cases instead by pleading guilty to one misdemeanor each. They were given sentences that included no prison, probation or restitution — just a $100 fine.

U.S. District Judge Janis Sammartino said the misconduct by prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in San Diego “can only be described as outrageous.”

“The only reasonable inference is that the allegations cannot and will not be justified or ever defended by the government,” said Sammartino, who for the past decade has presided over nearly all hearings related to the sprawling web of criminal cases connected to military contractor Leonard Glenn Francis and his company, Glenn Defense Marine Asia.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Ko, who was brought onto the case after last year’s trial, said that while his office did not agree with every allegation of misconduct, it did acknowledge some of the allegations levied by defense lawyers were true. He did not specify which his office agreed with and which it did not.

Federal prosecutors admit errors, 'serious issues' in 'Fat Leonard' trial of former naval officers

A judge called the misconduct 'outrageous' as she vacated the officers' convictions and instead sentenced them to just $100 fines on misdemeanor charges

www.sandiegouniontribune.com