Feds offer $40,000 reward for “Fat Leonard”

Leonard Glenn Francis, otherwise known as "Fat Leonard," now has his face on a wanted poster.

The U.S. Marshals Service and Naval Criminal Investigative Service are offering a combined reward of up to $40,000 ($20,000 from each agency) for any information leading up to the arrest of fugitive Leonard Glenn Francis.

Infamous as “Fat Leonard,” Francis is the man at the center of the biggest bribery scandal to hit the U.S. Navy and had been under house arrest in San Diego since his guilty plea in 2015, under going treatment for cancer — and podcasting.

At last count, the long-running fraud and bribery investigation has resulted in federal criminal charges against 34 U.S. Navy officials, with 33 defendants convicted of various fraud and corruption offenses, while a federal jury failed to reach a verdict on charges brought against retired Rear Admiral Bruce Loveless

Scheduled to soon be sentenced for his role in the $35 million scandal, Francis allegedly cut off his GPS monitor and left his home on the morning of Sept. 4.

On September 4, 2022, at 7:35 a.m. U.S. Pretrial Services, the federal agency in charge of monitoring his home confinement, received an alert that Francis’ GPS ankle monitor was being tampered with. U.S. Pretrial Services then attempted to contact Francis with no success. U.S. Pretrial Services followed up by contacting Francis’ defense attorney. His attorneys stated they would attempt to contact Francis and have him contact U.S. Pretrial Services.

At 1:28 p.m. Francis’ defense attorney advised there was no answer. The San Diego Police Department was then contacted by Francis’ legal team to conduct a welfare check. At approximately 2:42 p.m., the San Diego Police Department arrived at the residence, and concluded that Francis did not appear to be home.

At approximately 3:30 p.m. U.S. Pretrial Services contacted the U.S. Marshals for assistance in locating Francis.

At approximately 4 p.m. members of the San Diego Fugitive Task Force went to Francis’ residence to locate him. After announcing themselves, task force officers made entry into the residence through an unlocked door. After a thorough check of the residence, officers were unable to locate Francis. Officers were able to locate the GPS ankle monitor that had been cut off.

According to media reports, neighbors witnessed U-Haul moving trucks outside Francis’ home in the days before his escape.

His current whereabouts are unknown. However, Francis’s home is about a 40-minute drive from the Mexican border, where, local media have noted vehicles stream into Tijuana and are only stopped randomly.

Think you’ve spotted Fat Leonard? Anyone with information on Francis’s whereabouts should contact the U.S. Marshals at 877-926-8332. Anonymous tips may also be submitted via the USMS Tips App.