Ten Americans who were wrongfully detained in Venezuela have been released and returned to the United States as part of a prisoner exchange between the two countries. The exchange included the release of Leonard Glenn Francis, a fugitive defense contractor at the center of a massive Pentagon bribery scandal, and Savoi Wright, a Californian who had been arrested in October, expressed his joy upon disembarking the plane. The exchange marks a major diplomatic victory for the Biden administration and a step forward in restoring diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Posts tagged as “Fat Leonard”
A 2013 bribery and fraud case against defense contractor Leonard Francis and dozens of military officials has been dealt a major setback after a U.S. District Judge vacated the felony convictions of four former Navy officers due to prosecutorial misconduct. The judge noted that the misconduct had “tainted the entire prosecution” and that the men had been denied their right to a fair trial. The government has recovered more than $35 million in fines and restitution, but it remains to be seen how they will proceed in light of the latest development.