Explainer: How did big fish in Navy bribery case get away?

SAN DIEGO — The big, jovial personality of the Malaysian defense contractor nicknamed “Fat Leonard” got him favors across Asia, where he became rich by wooing U.S. Navy commanders with wild sex parties and luxury gifts. An enigmatic figure, Francis was a main point of contact for U.S. Navy ships at ports across Asia for more than two decades. But U.S. District Court Judge Janis Sammartino expressed repeated reservations about the arrangement that included Francis covering the costs of the private security firm in charge of watching him. Questions about whether he still warranted medical furlough came up in late 2020 after the judge was sent a letter from a San Diego surgeon who gave Francis a clean bill of health after treating him.