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Former Navy admiral sentenced to prison in 'Fat Leonard' case

By Ed Adamczyk
Former Adm. Robert J. Gilbeau received an 18-month prison sentence in San Diego on Wednesday for lying to federal authorities about his involvement in the "Fat Leonard" corruption scandal. He is the first admiral convicted of a felony. Photo courtesy U.S. Navy
Former Adm. Robert J. Gilbeau received an 18-month prison sentence in San Diego on Wednesday for lying to federal authorities about his involvement in the "Fat Leonard" corruption scandal. He is the first admiral convicted of a felony. Photo courtesy U.S. Navy

May 18 (UPI) -- Former Navy Adm. Robert J. Gilbeau was sentenced to 18 months in prison for his role in a corruption scandal involving kickbacks, prostitutes and bribes.

Gilbeau, 56, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Janis Sammartino in a San Diego courtroom on Wednesday.

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In a plea agreement on an obstruction charge, he admitted to lying to federal agents about his 20-year relationship with Navy contractor Leonard Glenn Francis. Testimony indicated that Gilbeau was provided prostitutes, cash and luxury goods in a scheme by which Francis overcharged the Navy for ship-oriented services in Asia.

The 10-year investigation into the "Fat Leonard" scandal has so far yielded 10 guilty pleas by Navy officials, corruption-related charges against nine others in federal court and the possibility, Justice Department officials have said, of more indictments against as many as 30 admirals.

The U.S. Navy is pursuing investigations of 200 uniformed personnel for possible violations of military law.

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Gilbeau, the first active-duty admiral to be convicted of a felony, apologized at Wednesday's hearing and in a letter to the court suggested his misconduct stemmed from post-traumatic stress related to a 2007 mortar attack in Iraq.

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In court papers, prosecutors said Gilbeau was exaggerating his mental state and that his psychiatric issues stem from "regret over being caught."

Gilbeau will pay the Navy $150,000 in fines and restitution. He retired from the Navy after being reduced from admiral to captain in October. He will retain his military pension of nearly $10,000 per month.

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