A retired Naval officer admitted in federal court in San Diego on Tuesday that he had sent a Malaysian defense contractor nicknamed Fat Leonard classified ship schedules for the Navy's Seventh Fleet, in exchange for more than $45,000 in bribes, including stays at luxury hotels.
In the latest development of the eight-year Fat Leonard scandal - which has ensnared more than 440 people in allegations of bribery and corruption, including 60 Navy admirals - Retired Chief Warrant Officer Robert Gorsuch switched his not guilty plea to admit the charges.
He had been due to go on trial in November with eight others.
Gorsuch, 54, of Mississippi, pleaded guilty to one count of bribery and could be sentenced as early as November.
He admitted accepting bribes of gifts, fine dining, hotel stays and entertainment in exchange for passing confidential information to Leonard Francis.
Robert Gorsuch, a retired chief warrant officer, on Tuesday abandoned his not guilty plea and admitted to involvement in a sprawling Naval corruption scheme, which saw him obtain $45,000 in lavish hotel stays and parties in return for confidential information
Leonard Francis, nicknamed 'Fat Leonard', is a 57-year-old Malaysian defense contractor. He was arrested in 2013 and pleaded guilty to a massive bribery scheme in 2015. He is currently in custody in San Diego, awaiting sentencing for what has been described as the biggest corruption plot in modern Naval history
The scheme caught up hundreds of people - in particular those working out of San Diego, home of the Navy's Seventh Fleet (pictured)
Francis was arrested in 2013 and pleaded guilty in 2015. He has been cooperating with prosecutors and remains in custody, with sentencing - frequently postponed - now scheduled for September 24.
The 57-year-old Malaysian businessman is currently on a medical furlough in a San Diego rented apartment in California under tight security and surveillance by US authorities, after having served five years imprisonment.
Gorsuch on Tuesday admitted in court that he set up a secret email account to help Francis's ship servicing business.
Prosecutors said the firm, Singapore-based Glenn Defense Marine Asia and its owner bribed Navy officers with fancy gifts, trips and prostitutes to provide classified information in order to beat competitors and overcharge for services.
The scheme cost the Navy some $35 million.
Leonard is seen with Admiral Mike Mullen, who served as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for two presidents
'Gorsuch essentially sold his honor for a few nights at the Shangri-La,' said Randy Grossman, Acting U.S. Attorney.
The case has resulted in federal criminal charges against 34 Navy officials, defense contractors, including Francis, and the Glenn Defense Marine Asia corporation.
So far, 26 of those have pleaded guilty and many have been sentenced to several years in prison.
Gorsuch was one of nine members of the U.S. Navy's Seventh Fleet indicted in March 2017 for playing a role in one of the Navy's worst corruption scandals.
He and others are described in the indictment as a close-knit group, who referred to themselves as a 'Band of Brothers' and 'Cool Kids'.
Capt. David Lausman (right), commanding officer of the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, has pleaded not guilty in the scandal and will go on trial in November
Cmdr. Stephen F. Shedd (left) and Cmdr. Donald Hornbeck have both pleaded not guilty, and will go on trial in November
Francis, who is said by his lawyers to be in declining health, supplied the Navy with vessels in Asia for 25 years
They all are accused of helping Francis by passing confidential information on ship schedules and visits, as well as bad-mouthing his competitors.
As a reward, they were lavished with fine gifts and 'boys night out' celebrations that at times have included the services of prostitutes, a $2,000 box of cigars and a $2,000 bottle of Hennessy Paradis Extra, according to the indictment.
Gorsuch, the most junior of the nine, enjoyed all-expenses-paid stays at hotels in the Philippines, Malaysia and Japan in 2007 and 2008, according to the plea agreement.
One party that Gorsuch and others attended at the Manila Hotel in the Philippines cost Francis some $15,000, the plea states, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.
The eight other Seventh Fleet defendants, who are accused of trading military secrets and substantial influence for sex parties with prostitutes, extravagant dinners and luxury travel, are scheduled for trial on November 1 - the first criminal trial in the case.
They include U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Bruce Loveless; Capts. David Newland, James Dolan, Donald Hornbeck and David Lausman; Col. Enrico DeGuzman; Lt. Commander Stephen Shedd; and Cmdr. Mario Herrera.
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