Massive Navy Contractor Scandal?

[LongBlade]

Whoops.

An ex-senior Department of Defense official is in hot water for allegedly accepting cash and prostitutes, as one of the worst scandals in Navy history continues to unfurl.

Paul Simpkins, a former top DOD official, was arrested Tuesday for allegedly accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars to steer Navy contracts to Glenn Defense Marine Asia, a company under investigation for bribing multiple U.S. officials, the Associated Press reports.

Simpkins allegedly accepted cash and gifts, including prostitutes, to allow GDMA special preference in contract awarding. Prosecutors say Simpkins collaborated with GDMA to allow the company to overcharge the Navy for services, and that he helped cover it up.

source: http://dailycaller.com/2015/02/04/hookers-cash-parties-and-swords-top-ex-dod-official-arrested-for-massive-corruption-scheme/

[Staggerwing]

Something about the contractor involved sounds familiar. Did this first come to light a few years ago, or were they involved in other scandals, possibly ones putting US Navy ships at risk?

[LongBlade]

The sentence in the above quote says "continues to unfurl." All I know is what I read.

[OJsDad]

Looks like this started to come to light in 2013.  From wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Marine_Group

In November, 2013 a subsidiary of the company, Glenn Defense Marine Asia became the central focus of an investigation into a corruption scandal within the US Navy.[3][4][5] According to prosecutors investigating the case, the company overcharged the Navy for goods and services by an amount that exceeded 10 million dollars. The company's chief executive, Leonard Glenn Francis, allegedly recruited two moles within the United States Seventh Fleet and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), who would alert him when naval auditors tried to investigate suspicious business transactions with Glenn Marine.[6] In exchange, prosecutors charge that Leonard would supply the navy officials with prostitutes, travel expenses and other perks.

A number of American naval personnel have been arrested as a result of the investigation, including two navy commanders, a navy captain, a special agent with the NCIS, and two admirals have been suspended.[7][8] In addition the USN has canceled all contracts with GDMA. US Federal agents lured Leonard to the US in 2013 and arrested him. He remains in custody in the US.[9]

On January 15, 2015, prosecutors obtained a guilty plea from Capt. Daniel P. Dusek on charges of bribery for supplying ship movements to Glenn Marine in return for prostitutes and luxury hotel stays. He was released on $200,000 bail pending a sentencing hearing. The previous week, Cmdr. Jose Luis Sanchez pleaded guilty to supplying secret ship movement schedules in return for prostitutes, luxury travel and $100,000 in cash

[Staggerwing]

Looks like this started to come to light in 2013.  From wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Marine_Group

A number of American naval personnel have been arrested as a result of the investigation, including two navy commanders, a navy captain, a special agent with the NCIS, and two admirals have been suspended.

That's what I remember from the earlier story- the involvement of an NCIS agent in the scandal.

[bayonetbrant]

I've been following this for a while, but I thought some of it might be a little esoteric for this group.

Then again, the central figure is a guy named "Fat Leonard"

[jomni]

I've read about this years ago.

[LongBlade]

I've been following this for a while, but I thought some of it might be a little esoteric for this group.

It involves prostitutes and alcohol and the Navy. Of course folks here would be interested!

[bayonetbrant]

I guess so

[endfire79]

I've been following this for a while, but I thought some of it might be a little esoteric for this group.

Then again, the central figure is a guy named "Fat Leonard"

Fat Leonard? Was he related to ex Toronto mayor Rob Ford?

[mirth]

Hookers, Cash, Parties And Swords: Top Ex-DOD Official Arrested For Massive Corruption Scheme

Sounds way to esoteric for this group :P