US: Three Arrested in Navy Bribery Scandal

News

A United States Navy commander, a contractor, and a Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) agent were arrested in a multi-million dollar bribery scandal earlier this week.

September 20, 2013

The three are US Navy Commander Michael Misiewicz; Leonard Francis, president and CEO of Singapore-based Glenn Defense Marine Asia Ltd.; and NCIS Supervisory Special Agent John Beliveau II. They face up to five years in prison if convicted.

Misiewics, 46, is accused of sending classified national security information to Francis as well as arranging visits by Navy vessels to ports where Glenn Defense Marine Asia, a subsidiary of Glenn Defense Group (GMG), had service provider contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

In return for the services Misiewics provided, Francis allegedly provided the naval officer with expensive bribes such as luxury travel, entertainment, hotel stays, prostitutes, and five tickets to a Lady Gaga concert, according to Rueters.

A criminal complaint described Misiewics and Francis as referring to each other as brothers.

Prosecutors allege that Francis provided similar gifts to NCIS agent Beliveau in exchange for information regarding an NCIS investigation into GMG over-charging the Navy. Beliveau is charged with giving confidential information to Francis.

Francis, a Malaysian living in Singapore, was arrested in San Diego. Misiewics was arrested in Colorado, while Beliveau was arrested in Virginia.

GMG has not responded to requests for comments by multiple media outlets.