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Fat Leonard: How One Man Bribed, Bilked, and Seduced the U.S. Navy
#1 New York Times bestselling author Craig Whitlock’s masterful account of one of the biggest public corruption scandals in American history—exposing how a charismatic Malaysian defense contractor bribed scores of high-ranking military officers, defrauded the US Navy of at least $50 million, and jeopardized our nation’s security.
All the admirals in the US Navy knew Leonard Glenn Francis—either personally or by his legendary reputation. He was the larger-than-life defense contractor who greeted them on the pier whenever they visited ports in Asia, ready to show them a good time after weeks at sea while his company resupplied their ships and submarines. He was famed throughout the fleet for the gluttonous parties he hosted for Navy; $1,000-per-person dinners at Asia’s swankiest restaurants, featuring unlimited Dom Perignon, Cuban cigars, and sexy young women.
On the surface, with his flawless American accent, he seemed like a true friend of the Navy. What the admirals didn't realize, until far too late, was that Francis had seduced them by exploiting their entitlement and hubris. While he was bribing them with gifts, lavish meals, and booze-fueled orgies, he was making himself obscenely wealthy by bilking American taxpayers. Worse, he was stealing military secrets from under the admirals' noses and compromising national security.
Based on reams of confidential documents—including the blackmail files that Francis kept on scores of Navy officers— Fat Leonard is the full, unvarnished story of a world-class con man and a captivating, jaw-dropping testament to the corrosive influence of greed within the most hallowed corridors of the American military.
All the admirals in the US Navy knew Leonard Glenn Francis—either personally or by his legendary reputation. He was the larger-than-life defense contractor who greeted them on the pier whenever they visited ports in Asia, ready to show them a good time after weeks at sea while his company resupplied their ships and submarines. He was famed throughout the fleet for the gluttonous parties he hosted for Navy; $1,000-per-person dinners at Asia’s swankiest restaurants, featuring unlimited Dom Perignon, Cuban cigars, and sexy young women.
On the surface, with his flawless American accent, he seemed like a true friend of the Navy. What the admirals didn't realize, until far too late, was that Francis had seduced them by exploiting their entitlement and hubris. While he was bribing them with gifts, lavish meals, and booze-fueled orgies, he was making himself obscenely wealthy by bilking American taxpayers. Worse, he was stealing military secrets from under the admirals' noses and compromising national security.
Based on reams of confidential documents—including the blackmail files that Francis kept on scores of Navy officers— Fat Leonard is the full, unvarnished story of a world-class con man and a captivating, jaw-dropping testament to the corrosive influence of greed within the most hallowed corridors of the American military.
480 pages, Hardcover
First published May 14, 2024
172 people are currently reading
1989 people want to read
About the author
Craig Whitlock
4 books98 followersCraig Michael Whitlock is a journalist working for The Washington Post, where he is responsible for covering the Pentagon and national security. He has worked as a staff writer for the Post since 1998, and covered the Maryland Statehouse in Annapolis and the Prince George's County police department for almost six years, Whitlock served as the paper's Berlin bureau chief and covered terrorism networks in Europe, South Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. He has reported from over 50 countries. Before working for The Washington Post, he served as a reporter for the Raleigh News & Observer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
April 28, 2024
File this one on the shelf of you can't make this stuff up or truth is stranger than fiction. The title pretty much tells the story, and the book does exactly what you'd expect, systematically unveiling a slow-motion horror story in painstaking detail.
Rarely do I read a book where I've been following the story, reading everything I can find, and talking about the details ... for years (and not just a handful, either). This was a big story, one of those things that everyone in my (admittedly bizarre and quirky) world was following and talking about. So, yes, I was excited to receive and read the book, and it didn't disappoint.
My hat's off to the author (whose Washington Post coverage, in the spirit of full disclosure, I read - and assigned to my students - with this info-graphic being one of my favorites: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphi... - seriously, take a look, it's mind-blowing) for sticking with the story and (somehow) condensing it into a readable, cohesive storyline
What I'll be most curious to see is who buys and reads the book. Sure, it's a crazy biography in the tradition of Catch Me If You Can with a nod to (the, yes, the fictional) Crazy Rich Asians movie, and that may appeal to some, but maybe something more along the lines of The Wizard of Lies (chronicling Bernie Madoff's rise and fall) or one of the popular Enron books, like Conspiracy of Fools or The Smartest Guys in the Room. Meanwhile, there's the (I'm guessing relatively small) communities of public corruption professionals (including attorneys, investigators, inspectors general, auditors, prosecutors, etc.) or government contracts (or public procurement) professionals who probably followed this story in the mass media for ages. And, for these latter groups, there's more than a whiff of War Dogs here, although I'm not sure this one will jump to the big screen (and feature the likes of Jonah Hill and Miles Teller, but it's every bit as insane and, in many ways, more so).
Will Navy leaders or aficionados read it ... or is the culture so strong that the institutional preference is to not talk about it and pretend it didn't happen? I dunno. Frankly, I hope they're assigning this as required reading at the Naval Academy and, more broadly, introducing it to cadets at the other military academies (and, yes, in ROTC programs, etc.), and, yes mid-career and senior leaders at the military's (numerous) professional schools.
As I read the book, however, I wonder whether the public (for a host of reasons) has become desensitized to public corruption, abuse of office, and whether ... by the end of the book ... readers will shrug their shoulders and ask, so what? I hope that's not the case, but ... I do wonder.
A note on perspective: There's all kinds of books, but it's difficult to imagine how much work (year after year) went into the book. For that reason, I concede that I was fascinated with the author's acknowledgements and his notes on sources. And, yes, the hardback edition contains a nice selection of photographs, and helpful aids on the geography, military rank structure, and naval surface vessels.
Thanks to be publisher for an advance review copy. I'm glad I've had the opportunity to read it, and I expect I'll be sharing it and talking about it for some time.
Rarely do I read a book where I've been following the story, reading everything I can find, and talking about the details ... for years (and not just a handful, either). This was a big story, one of those things that everyone in my (admittedly bizarre and quirky) world was following and talking about. So, yes, I was excited to receive and read the book, and it didn't disappoint.
My hat's off to the author (whose Washington Post coverage, in the spirit of full disclosure, I read - and assigned to my students - with this info-graphic being one of my favorites: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphi... - seriously, take a look, it's mind-blowing) for sticking with the story and (somehow) condensing it into a readable, cohesive storyline
What I'll be most curious to see is who buys and reads the book. Sure, it's a crazy biography in the tradition of Catch Me If You Can with a nod to (the, yes, the fictional) Crazy Rich Asians movie, and that may appeal to some, but maybe something more along the lines of The Wizard of Lies (chronicling Bernie Madoff's rise and fall) or one of the popular Enron books, like Conspiracy of Fools or The Smartest Guys in the Room. Meanwhile, there's the (I'm guessing relatively small) communities of public corruption professionals (including attorneys, investigators, inspectors general, auditors, prosecutors, etc.) or government contracts (or public procurement) professionals who probably followed this story in the mass media for ages. And, for these latter groups, there's more than a whiff of War Dogs here, although I'm not sure this one will jump to the big screen (and feature the likes of Jonah Hill and Miles Teller, but it's every bit as insane and, in many ways, more so).
Will Navy leaders or aficionados read it ... or is the culture so strong that the institutional preference is to not talk about it and pretend it didn't happen? I dunno. Frankly, I hope they're assigning this as required reading at the Naval Academy and, more broadly, introducing it to cadets at the other military academies (and, yes, in ROTC programs, etc.), and, yes mid-career and senior leaders at the military's (numerous) professional schools.
As I read the book, however, I wonder whether the public (for a host of reasons) has become desensitized to public corruption, abuse of office, and whether ... by the end of the book ... readers will shrug their shoulders and ask, so what? I hope that's not the case, but ... I do wonder.
A note on perspective: There's all kinds of books, but it's difficult to imagine how much work (year after year) went into the book. For that reason, I concede that I was fascinated with the author's acknowledgements and his notes on sources. And, yes, the hardback edition contains a nice selection of photographs, and helpful aids on the geography, military rank structure, and naval surface vessels.
Thanks to be publisher for an advance review copy. I'm glad I've had the opportunity to read it, and I expect I'll be sharing it and talking about it for some time.
May 18, 2024
Just mind blowing how many people were caught up in this scandal. A well-told, wild story of idiocy, sex, and the Navy. My favorite anecdote: the admiral in charge of Naval Intelligence got his clearance pulled because of his involvement but somehow managed to stay in his job without access to classified information for three years.
May 24, 2024
65 years ago, I served proudly in the U.S. Navy. I treasured that time for the experiences, friendships and sense of pride of knowing that we were honorably representing and defending our country. I believed that the institution exemplified the highest standards of integrity, character and fidelity to all that is good about our country.
The disgraceful and scandalous events recounted in this book occurred almost 40 years after my service, but they fill me with disgust with and sorrow for what the institution I so loved and admired has become.
Ostensibly the book is about the con man and manipulator Leonard Francis. In fact it is about the greed, corruption and malfeasance of the U.S. Navy and its leadership. The fish rots from the head down is clearly evident here.
What rankles me most is not the behavior of the flag officers that permitted Fat Leonard to fleece the U.S. government of 100’s of millions, but their violation of their midshipman oath not to lie, cheat or steal, their cowardice in not owing up to their infidelity, and the lack of accountability for their crimes.
What I find incredible is not that the crimes and scandalous behaviors occurred, but rather that they were open and notorious and went undetected for so long. And that when finally they were revealed the Navy buried them, and took very little action against the leaders who let it happen.
As a former PO in naval aviation it was particularly disappointing to me that most of the involved flag officers were at one time Naval Aviators (pilots).
The disgraceful and scandalous events recounted in this book occurred almost 40 years after my service, but they fill me with disgust with and sorrow for what the institution I so loved and admired has become.
Ostensibly the book is about the con man and manipulator Leonard Francis. In fact it is about the greed, corruption and malfeasance of the U.S. Navy and its leadership. The fish rots from the head down is clearly evident here.
What rankles me most is not the behavior of the flag officers that permitted Fat Leonard to fleece the U.S. government of 100’s of millions, but their violation of their midshipman oath not to lie, cheat or steal, their cowardice in not owing up to their infidelity, and the lack of accountability for their crimes.
What I find incredible is not that the crimes and scandalous behaviors occurred, but rather that they were open and notorious and went undetected for so long. And that when finally they were revealed the Navy buried them, and took very little action against the leaders who let it happen.
As a former PO in naval aviation it was particularly disappointing to me that most of the involved flag officers were at one time Naval Aviators (pilots).
July 27, 2024
Whitmore does a fairly good job of taking the reader through the winding, complicated, and dramatic case of Leonard Francis, (aka “Fat Leonard”), a man who’s entrepreneurial drive and constant need for excess allowed him to build a husbanding company that served the US Navy into a commercial empire that corrupted key naval personnel (including several Admirals and at least one NCIS Special Agent), and later morphed into a serious counter intelligence threat.
Husbanding; the business of supplying the needs of ships in port (Security, sewage removal, resupply etc.) is a tricky and dynamic business that Francis effectively mastered. Francis delivered on his promises to the US 7th Fleet effectively and consistently, even in times of crisis. He was also grossly padding the bills for his services (example: charging double the amount for sewage removal from a ship that could not even generate that much).
In order to avoid disruption and scrutiny, Leonard wined, dined, and bribed key naval officers to look the other way and warn him of on-going investigations into his business practices. Eventually, the NCIS became aware that the primary husbanding company of the US 7th fleet was becoming a looming counterintelligence threat when they became aware that Leonard’s moles in the Navy were sending him classified information in the form of ship port schedules which would eventually lead to his downfall.
Husbanding; the business of supplying the needs of ships in port (Security, sewage removal, resupply etc.) is a tricky and dynamic business that Francis effectively mastered. Francis delivered on his promises to the US 7th Fleet effectively and consistently, even in times of crisis. He was also grossly padding the bills for his services (example: charging double the amount for sewage removal from a ship that could not even generate that much).
In order to avoid disruption and scrutiny, Leonard wined, dined, and bribed key naval officers to look the other way and warn him of on-going investigations into his business practices. Eventually, the NCIS became aware that the primary husbanding company of the US 7th fleet was becoming a looming counterintelligence threat when they became aware that Leonard’s moles in the Navy were sending him classified information in the form of ship port schedules which would eventually lead to his downfall.
July 28, 2024
A fat man who loved buttering up senior U.S. Navy officials with steaks, whiskey, and cigars?
I knew that guy.
No, I don’t mean Leonard Francis, the subject of this book.
I’m talking about Drew Bahjat, my high school Drama Club and Model U.N. buddy, a larger-than-life Navy fanboy who improbably went to work beside his heroes at the Pentagon’s Division of Naval Air Warfare. One night back in the early aughts, Drew took me to the swanky Morton’s Steakhouse, because he loved playing the Big Man, and he wanted me to see just how far his career had taken him. (If you go to my profile, click the video “How Admiral Bahjat Defeated the Soviet Navy,” a Zoom reading of my hard-to-believe recollections.)
What does all this have to do with Fat Leonard?
He was a Malaysian hustler who wound up in the port-of-call business, supplying visiting U.S. Navy vessels with fuel, food, refit, and pumping out their sewage. Which he wildly overcharged for, but relentlessly schmoozed all the necessary Navy bigwigs with steaks, whiskey, and cigars. And gift bags filled with gaudy, expensive gifts. And hookers. Lots and lots of hookers.
That pretty much sums up the first half of this book. A decade-long parade of greasy, slap-on-the-back corruption, all predicated on that elite warrior / man’s man bullshit my old pal adored so much he finally drank himself to death.
I never really got it with Drew. I can’t drink more than a beer, so boozing was a no-go, and if I’ve enjoyed ritzy cuisine here and there, how many times can you gorge yourself on lobster, steak, and goose liver pate before it just becomes some kind of an act?
Is there some tradition in sea voyaging that makes otherwise distinguished, responsible leaders revert to frat boys? The author never explores the roots of “what happens in the Pacific stays in the Pacific,” but all I could think after a while was just how small, how pathetic, how spectacularly unimaginative all these middle-aged, sad sack overachievers were.
I dunno. Maybe I saw LA DOLCE VITA too many times, but I think decadence is boring.
And nothing proves it better than the still-unresolved saga of Fat Leonard.
I knew that guy.
No, I don’t mean Leonard Francis, the subject of this book.
I’m talking about Drew Bahjat, my high school Drama Club and Model U.N. buddy, a larger-than-life Navy fanboy who improbably went to work beside his heroes at the Pentagon’s Division of Naval Air Warfare. One night back in the early aughts, Drew took me to the swanky Morton’s Steakhouse, because he loved playing the Big Man, and he wanted me to see just how far his career had taken him. (If you go to my profile, click the video “How Admiral Bahjat Defeated the Soviet Navy,” a Zoom reading of my hard-to-believe recollections.)
What does all this have to do with Fat Leonard?
He was a Malaysian hustler who wound up in the port-of-call business, supplying visiting U.S. Navy vessels with fuel, food, refit, and pumping out their sewage. Which he wildly overcharged for, but relentlessly schmoozed all the necessary Navy bigwigs with steaks, whiskey, and cigars. And gift bags filled with gaudy, expensive gifts. And hookers. Lots and lots of hookers.
That pretty much sums up the first half of this book. A decade-long parade of greasy, slap-on-the-back corruption, all predicated on that elite warrior / man’s man bullshit my old pal adored so much he finally drank himself to death.
I never really got it with Drew. I can’t drink more than a beer, so boozing was a no-go, and if I’ve enjoyed ritzy cuisine here and there, how many times can you gorge yourself on lobster, steak, and goose liver pate before it just becomes some kind of an act?
Is there some tradition in sea voyaging that makes otherwise distinguished, responsible leaders revert to frat boys? The author never explores the roots of “what happens in the Pacific stays in the Pacific,” but all I could think after a while was just how small, how pathetic, how spectacularly unimaginative all these middle-aged, sad sack overachievers were.
I dunno. Maybe I saw LA DOLCE VITA too many times, but I think decadence is boring.
And nothing proves it better than the still-unresolved saga of Fat Leonard.
June 27, 2024
This story is pretty unreal. Fat Leonard (actual name Leonard Francis) ran a company, Glen Defense, that serviced naval ships in southeast Asia. Apparently fat or not, Leonard was very charismatic. He used money and charm to basically corrupt admiral after admiral into doing things that benefitted Glen Defense (and ultimately Leonard himself).
This book painstakingly details the entire scandal.
And when I say painstakingly, I do mean it. Whitlock is obviously a very thorough investigative journalist, and it's clear to me that this book is a definitive accounting of Francis' activities. And taken as a whole, it's really incredible how one man could do so much damage to an institution.
However, it's also a very repetitive tale with the first half illuminating how Leonard used lavish meals and prostitutes to woo naval officers into doing things they clearly knew were illegal. And then the second half is nearly as a repetitive as it relates how the naval investigators uncovered the scandal and prosecuted the many people involved.
The story has the advantage of being one of those "if it written as a novel people would say it wasn't believable" stories. That part makes it great addition to what ultimately is a true crime drama. But there's really only so much one can say about Francis' behavior, and I think this book could have been edited into a more succinct package without losing much in the telling.
That being said, I did like Whitlock's writing, and I would read other books by him in a heartbeat. I just think that this story was inherently basic and the main surprising element was the extent to which soooo many people were susceptible to the charms of this one man.
This book painstakingly details the entire scandal.
And when I say painstakingly, I do mean it. Whitlock is obviously a very thorough investigative journalist, and it's clear to me that this book is a definitive accounting of Francis' activities. And taken as a whole, it's really incredible how one man could do so much damage to an institution.
However, it's also a very repetitive tale with the first half illuminating how Leonard used lavish meals and prostitutes to woo naval officers into doing things they clearly knew were illegal. And then the second half is nearly as a repetitive as it relates how the naval investigators uncovered the scandal and prosecuted the many people involved.
The story has the advantage of being one of those "if it written as a novel people would say it wasn't believable" stories. That part makes it great addition to what ultimately is a true crime drama. But there's really only so much one can say about Francis' behavior, and I think this book could have been edited into a more succinct package without losing much in the telling.
That being said, I did like Whitlock's writing, and I would read other books by him in a heartbeat. I just think that this story was inherently basic and the main surprising element was the extent to which soooo many people were susceptible to the charms of this one man.
Read
June 8, 2024DNF. The content gets repetitive pretty fast, with Fat Leonard wining and dining this military officer and that military officer. And telling us the actual menu. The military wastes money?! Well duh.
May 22, 2024
Incredible risk and scandal; very sad
Well documented narrative exposes infiltration of the Seventh Fleet by an unscrupulous, sociopathic agent. That Navy Admirals and exclusive leaders would succumb to recruitment and seduction seems unbelievable. Especially tragic are the spouses and family members who allowed themselves to be taken in by bribes and flattery. I wish this weren't a true story. What would my WWII, Chief Petty Officer Dad think if he were alive?
Well documented narrative exposes infiltration of the Seventh Fleet by an unscrupulous, sociopathic agent. That Navy Admirals and exclusive leaders would succumb to recruitment and seduction seems unbelievable. Especially tragic are the spouses and family members who allowed themselves to be taken in by bribes and flattery. I wish this weren't a true story. What would my WWII, Chief Petty Officer Dad think if he were alive?
April 16, 2025
More proof that graft pays and that there are "different spanks for different ranks". Truly unbelievable, sad, and anti American.
December 30, 2024
This book is the story of a Navy contractor operating in the Far East to service ships as they came into port- to supply them with food, fuel, and other necessities - while bilking the Navy for millions of dollars. To obtain these lucrative contacts, Leonard Francis -or Fat Leonard- wined and dined Navy officials with gifts, lavish dinners, alcohol, hotel rooms, first class flights and prostitutes - all in contravention to government laws and ethics rules. Fat Leonard kept files on these officials to assure they stayed on his side. When law enforcement caught up with him, Fat Leonard named names and created a huge black eye for the Navy. The first part of the book is filled with jaw dropping descriptions of the dinners, gifts, and women lavished on the Navy officials. I am a Navy lawyer who provides ethics advice to commanding officers regarding interactions with contractors and acceptance of gifts and I read this book with my jaw dropped open, incredulous at the actions taken by these Navy officials who blatantly disregarded ethics rules and the code of conduct requiring integrity and honor by Naval officers. Even more incredible were the events occurring after Fat Leonard was apprehended and started naming names of Naval officials involved in his schemes. Those who were punished by the law with prison were mostly civilians. Only one Admiral went to jail. The rest were allowed to retire with their pensions in place including the Director of Naval Intelligence who was on administrative leave for three years while under investigation and prohibited from looking at classified documents and the Admiral in charge of the Naval Academy whose duties including teaching integrity and honor to incoming plebes- both of them and others in similar positions accepted gifts from Fat Leonard. None were disciplined or lost their pensions. Meanwhile Fat Leonard while serving as the source of information to supposedly convict these bad actors lived in a mansion in San Diego under house arrest from which he escaped to Venezuela. He has been apprehended and returned to the US but still not sentenced. In addition, the lower level Naval Officers convicted of accepting bribes had their convictions thrown out due to prosecutorial misconduct. One of them went to law school and teaches at a San Diego law school. You can’t make this up. Every American and every govt lawyer should read this book.
January 25, 2025
Very good. I can’t believe this story isn’t more widely known.
January 22, 2025
Crazy story. The biggest corruption case in American military history. I’m not sure I ever heard about it before reading this book. If I did, it didn’t make a strong impression. So I assume it was underreported at the time. Lots and lots to report. Whitlock does a fine job. The book is solidly researched, well-written, and entertaining. The story it tells is shocking and dismal — as regards the corruption it chronicles in a service with a long and proud history, the attempts by that service to whitewash/cover it up, and the absurdly minor punishments that were meted out to so many genuine traitors. Assuming Fat Leonard survives the next 15 years in prison (and isn’t paroled sooner), he’ll probably enjoy the rest of his days in luxury paid for by US taxpayers since no one seems to know how much he bilked us for and since he almost certainly hid most of his gains from the auditors. Here’s hoping every cent of restitution is squeezed out of him. And that regardless of the light punishments they may have received, lots of genuinely corrupt Navy guys feel the burden of knowing they’re a disgrace to their uniform. Read Fat Leonard and weep…
October 12, 2024
I was stationed on the USS Blue Ridge from 2013-2016 and I was only peripherally aware of this scandal. This well-researched account is incredibly entertaining, especially when names you recognize come up. The author does a fantastic job of reminding the reader of the roles of the major players as they come and go from the narrative - which is great, because there are are so, so many of them. I also really appreciated Whitlock's commentary on the disparity in expectations (and how punishment is meted out) for enlisted and officers, and the enormous entitlement and hypocrisy of the latter. Honestly, I kinda respect Francis for hustling these clowns so shamelessly, and I think that's what makes this decades-long saga so engrossing.
August 24, 2025
5 stars if you want a full facts-and-figures deep dive into the minutiae of the scandal, 4 if you want a captivating telling of the salaciousness that was Fat Leonard. I wanted the latter, thus 4 stars. Weighs itself down with too much detail at times, but on the whole tells a pretty juicy story. Hard to imagine in this day and age anybody could get away with what the titular fat man did for 10 years or so, but it's a good lesson in greed and temptation and why doing the right thing saves you a lot of hardship down the track. Plus, it's Navy, and I've been to a lot of the ports he did his shenanigans at, so that was a fun connection. Fat Leonard was already in jail by the time I got to those ports though 🫠
July 7, 2024
Astounding story and reporting. Heard an interview with the author on NPR’s Fresh Air, and it is simply amazing what Whitlock uncovered, the records Leonard kept, and that for the most part, very few Navy officials/admirals will serve any type of punishment. If no punishment, is there a crime? The example the US Navy is setting (and with continual covering up) is basically saying, nope - do what you want as long as you don’t get caught and no one gets “hurt.” Ridiculous notion if you are a US taxpayer and have any bit of concern for national security. And oh yeah, prosecutors, play by the legal system’s rules for the love of all that should be just when undertaking a case like this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 22, 2024
(4.5 stars)
i’m sure glad i go to work every day and pay my taxes so our honorable navy command officers can cheat on their wives, leak classified information, defraud the american public, and still get their 6 figure pensions :)
i’m sure glad i go to work every day and pay my taxes so our honorable navy command officers can cheat on their wives, leak classified information, defraud the american public, and still get their 6 figure pensions :)
December 2, 2024
This book is every bit as entertaining as it is appalling.
Having served over a decade in the US Navy, I’ve heard much about the Fat Leonard scandal, but I had no idea just how jaw dropping the whole story was. This book should be required reading for all aspiring naval officers.
Having served over a decade in the US Navy, I’ve heard much about the Fat Leonard scandal, but I had no idea just how jaw dropping the whole story was. This book should be required reading for all aspiring naval officers.
August 16, 2024
I’ll be thinking about this one for a long, long time.
September 17, 2024
my favorite book of the year. All the stars.
July 20, 2024
SCANDALOUS! I feel like I've been living under a rock. I don't remember ever hearing about this.
January 20, 2025
I knew it was bad, but I had no idea it was that bad. It was actually even worse - I’m embarrassed but not surprised that so many officers could be seduced into unethical behavior, and even less surprised that leadership both tried to cover things up and never truly punished the admirals.
My generations’ version of Tailhook, unfortunately.
My generations’ version of Tailhook, unfortunately.
July 14, 2025
This is compelling investigative reporting about one of the most disgraceful episodes of recent military history. The US Navy’s soft underbelly is exposed by a manipulative, fat Malaysian business man who buys Admirals and other officers with gifts and hookers in a quid pro quo for military files. Great research and even better storytelling.
July 31, 2024
A sad tale, but having served alongside the Navy on four overseas deployments, I am not surprised at this story of greed and corruption.
August 9, 2024
Man listen. Leo kept a scheme going.
I have so much to say about this book but imma keep it to myself.
Cause… lol.
I have so much to say about this book but imma keep it to myself.
Cause… lol.
June 25, 2024
Unbelievable. That is the word I would choose to sum up this book. Craig Whitlock did a phenomenal job writing this book - I was hooked from the prologue. He was extremely detailed and stuck to the facts as best as possible. I also appreciated how if he could not verify that something was 100% true, he would use the word allegedly - it demonstrates that he may not have all the facts and he can admit that.
Onto the actual story, the book was an insane series of events. From the sex parties to the thousands of dollars spent on meals to the Navy trading confidential and secret information to make Fat Leonard happy, I could not believe it. For a country and organization so respected and believed to hold certain values, everytime I read about another one of Francis’s parties, I just hoped someone would do the right thing, but it rarely happened. The corruption and willingness to compromise the security of the Navy and United States for greed was just unbelievable to me. Also, the ending, where he escapes is crazy and that so many of the high ranking officials essentially got off scot free because of prosecutorial misconduct.
Overall, this book was an immensely fascinating read and I definitely would recommend. Whitlock’s investigative reporting is wonderful and the tale he weaves reads like fiction, but horrifyingly, it is true. If you enjoy any kind of crime or true crime, this book you would definitely enjoy this book. Would read again.
Onto the actual story, the book was an insane series of events. From the sex parties to the thousands of dollars spent on meals to the Navy trading confidential and secret information to make Fat Leonard happy, I could not believe it. For a country and organization so respected and believed to hold certain values, everytime I read about another one of Francis’s parties, I just hoped someone would do the right thing, but it rarely happened. The corruption and willingness to compromise the security of the Navy and United States for greed was just unbelievable to me. Also, the ending, where he escapes is crazy and that so many of the high ranking officials essentially got off scot free because of prosecutorial misconduct.
Overall, this book was an immensely fascinating read and I definitely would recommend. Whitlock’s investigative reporting is wonderful and the tale he weaves reads like fiction, but horrifyingly, it is true. If you enjoy any kind of crime or true crime, this book you would definitely enjoy this book. Would read again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2024
A well-researched expose on how the US Navy's officers were very easily corrupted by the provision of gifts, girls, and parties. Captains and Admirals alike breaking laws regarding accepting gifts from contractors when offered by Fat Leonard over more than a decade of corruption that included even the sharing of fleet secrets with the man at the heart of the scandal. The whole pacific fleet was in bed with Fat Leonard for over a decade and no one did anything. And then of course the Navy just wanted to cover the whole thing up and avoid scandal and embarrassment. There is more detail here than most people will need to get the gist of what happened. The bottom line is that men and women will sell out their country for a bottle of wine, a lobster dinner, and sex. Meanwhile the money corruption going on as contractors milk the US for millions for work not done and work not done right and work not needed.
November 7, 2025
Just fascinating and wild.
June 7, 2025
Really solid book and a fun read - hard to put down at times! I rarely give a 5-star review, and the only reason that I docked this one was because it slowly plods along in certain parts. Indeed, the middle of the book is an extended and occasionally monotonous list of ships; wild, booze-fueled, hooker-entertained engagements; senior Naval officers; and the kind of corruption that only Hollywood could dream up. Sadly, however, this is real.
I’ve spent over half of my life in the Navy, and I’d heard of Fat Leonard, but I was not aware of the enormous scale of the graft and espionage that took place. The case still remains largely unresolved, though many of the personnel involved have been punished (or not, in a couple of situations involving very high-ranking officers). It was sobering to read the names of leaders with whom I served who were involved in this mess, and infuriating to see these fellow Naval Academy graduates throw the Brigade Honor Concept to the wind - in the name of greed, money, and power. So many officers went to great lengths to cover up their involvement, whether via passing the buck or sudden, unexplained bouts of amnesia. Before a few weeks ago, you might have said, “Hopefully we learned something,” but sadly, this is not the case. The latest bribery scandal involving a four-star admiral shows that money and greed are still powerful motivators, even if they mean selling out your honor.
This book should be required reading at all of our service academies as a warning to our burgeoning military leaders to watch out for people like Leonard Francis. Furthermore, the professional service schools - especially those specializing in industry engagement and contracting - should also prescribe this book. Aside from the shocking revelations of corruption, Whitlock provides a summary of the ins and outs of defense contracting, which I found supremely interesting.
Overall a really great read that I’ll likely reference in the future!
I’ve spent over half of my life in the Navy, and I’d heard of Fat Leonard, but I was not aware of the enormous scale of the graft and espionage that took place. The case still remains largely unresolved, though many of the personnel involved have been punished (or not, in a couple of situations involving very high-ranking officers). It was sobering to read the names of leaders with whom I served who were involved in this mess, and infuriating to see these fellow Naval Academy graduates throw the Brigade Honor Concept to the wind - in the name of greed, money, and power. So many officers went to great lengths to cover up their involvement, whether via passing the buck or sudden, unexplained bouts of amnesia. Before a few weeks ago, you might have said, “Hopefully we learned something,” but sadly, this is not the case. The latest bribery scandal involving a four-star admiral shows that money and greed are still powerful motivators, even if they mean selling out your honor.
This book should be required reading at all of our service academies as a warning to our burgeoning military leaders to watch out for people like Leonard Francis. Furthermore, the professional service schools - especially those specializing in industry engagement and contracting - should also prescribe this book. Aside from the shocking revelations of corruption, Whitlock provides a summary of the ins and outs of defense contracting, which I found supremely interesting.
Overall a really great read that I’ll likely reference in the future!
December 19, 2024
My first port call onboard the USS Blue Ridge was GDM's port Klang Cruise Terminal circa 2012. At the time, as if a cosmic coincidence, my LPO looked over at the husbanding ship and said "Man, I should invest in Glen Defense Marine. Those guys are everywhere we go." Well. We soon found out why. Having interacted with a few of these officers at the time they were committing these crimes this book is a wild yet depressingly true tale. As the DOD has now failed its 7th audit, it's important to keep stories like this in mind. Leonard Francis is hardly the first to take the U.S. military for a ride, nor will he be the last.
December 9, 2024
This detailed account of how one man managed to commit one of the largest national security breaches in history is wild. It reads like fiction but sadly is a true account of corruption so large that it took years for the Navy to investigate and prosecute. Scary stuff. And to know there is a similar case in Korea is astounding. I had only learned of the Fat Leonard scandal when he was recaptured so this was the perfect book to fill in a lot of gaps in the scandal. He played the long game and almost got away with it.
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