A former U.S. Navy captain has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for taking bribes in exchange for steering large contracts to a foreign defense contractor.
In June 2020, retired U.S. Navy Captain David Haas of Kailua, Hawaii, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, as prosecutors claimed that he had accepted around $91,000 in bribes. Haas originally faced longer prison time if convicted of eight counts in an August 2018 indictment regarding the corruption and bribery scandal of Glenn Defense Marine Asia (GDMA).
Haas, 54, was also ordered to pay restitution for $90,968.82 and a criminal fine of $30,000. The judge also imposed a three-year supervised release upon completion of his time in prison.
Prosecutors say that Haas was just one of dozens of officials who accepted bribes from a man known as Leonard Glenn Francis, also known as “Fat Leonard.” Francis owned GDMA, which supplied food, water, and fuel to military vessels for years.
Haas would steer ships to Francis’ ports located in Southeast Asia in exchange for bribes that included prostitutes, hotel stays, dinners, and parties. Francis has since admitted to overbilling the Navy by $35 million.
“You of all people should have known your relationship with Mr. Francis was wrong,” U.S. District Judge Janis Sammartino told Haas, per the San Diego Union-Tribune. “Bottom line, you betrayed and hurt the Navy (and) your fellow officers.”
“Public corruption erodes the very fabric of our democracy, threatening the reputation and functioning of our institutions and thus the ability of the United States to lead with credibility,” said U.S. Attorney Randy S. Grossman, as reported by the United States Attorney’s Office. “Today’s sentencing, in part, replenishes the well of democracy, signaling to all Americans that the business of your public institutions will be conducted in the light, without bias or favor.”
It is about time these thief’s be held accountable. Fine them for 5 dollars more than they have and take retirement and SS from them. Give them 20 years hard labor. I wish they could still keel haul these thief’s.
I don’t know Haas, but strongly feel that any U.S. service member, regardless of rank or grade, who betrays his oath of office for self promotion, aggrandizement, or money should be punished. Such selfish conduct negatively impacts every service member and the national image. Can you imagine the feelings of mothers and fathers, wives or husbands, or children of veterans killed in the line of duty when they read about such lucrative payoffs, not to mention the impact on troop morale to know that their leaders are corrupt?
I agree completely. A retired “Old Fighter Pilot”