Issa to probe Navy bribery scandal

House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) said Thursday that his committee would investigate the bribery scandal that rocked the Navy and ensnared senior officers.

Issa wrote a letter to Navy Secretary Ray Mabus on Thursday asking for the Navy to provide contracting documents from 2009 between the Navy and Glenn Defense Marine Asia, the Singapore-based contractor at the heart of the bribery scandal.

{mosads}Issa said he was concerned the Navy’s review of its contracting practices “will not go far enough” to stop fraud and mismanagement.

The Navy’s scandal is centered around Leonard Glenn Francis, the Glenn Defense Marine Asia CEO known as “Fat Leonard,” who was arrested in a sting operation in California on corruption charges last year.

Since then, a Navy Criminal Investigative Services officer has pleaded guilty to bribery charges for providing Francis with law enforcement information in exchange for prostitutes, money and other gifts.

Two Navy commanders have also been arrested on similar charges, according to The Washington Post, and the Navy is also investigating two admirals and two captains for their ties to the contractor.

Issa also requested a briefing from the Navy on steps taken over the past several years to combat contracting fraud.

Issa noted that Mabus had appointed a special panel to improve oversight of contracting in 2011 in response to another scandal involving kickbacks.

“Nearly three years after that pledge, however, significant problems remain and it does not appear that the process has improved significantly,” Issa wrote.

“This trend of contracting fraud and mismanagement call for closer scrutiny of the Navy’s contracting practices and oversight.”