A senior Biden administration official said Fat Leonard is expected to be on a plane and headed home later on Wednesday.
The official said Fat Leonard, whose real name is Leonard Francis, is “one of the most notorious fugitives,” after he escaped house arrest last year by cutting off his GPS monitor.
“His return to the United States will now ensure that he is held fully accountable for his crime, as well as for his attempt to escape from justice,” the official said.
Francis was returned along with 10 Americans, most of whom the U.S. considered wrongfully detained in Venezuela. Authorities also released 20 Venezuelan prisoners.
The U.S. in exchange released Alex Saab, a major ally of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Saab was arrested for money-laundering in 2020.
The agreement reached was the result of months of negotiations with Venezuela.
President Biden said in a statement that “reuniting wrongfully detained Americans with their loved ones has been a priority for my administration since day one.”
“As is the return to the United States of fugitives from justice,” Biden added.
The return of Francis scores a major victory for the Pentagon. Francis oversaw a company that overcharged the Navy’s 7th Fleet in the eastern Pacific at ports he controlled — and even charged for fake services.
From 2004 to 2013, Francis kept up the scheme by bribing Navy officers and sailors with alcohol, prostitutes, cigars and parties.
More than 30 Navy officers were charged in the case. But four senior officers who were convicted on bribery charges saw their convictions vacated in September because of alleged prosecutorial misconduct.
Read the full report at TheHill.com.
