United States Navy captain Jesus Vasquez Cantu admitted in federal court yesterday (August 18) that he accepted bribes, including the services of multiple prostitutes, to pass critical information to Leonard Glenn Francis (aka Fat Leonard) and his Singapore-based Glenn Defense Marine Asia.
Cantu, 59, who had a “top secret” clearance, acknowledged, among many things, that Francis provided him with the services of two prostitutes on June 1, 2012, at the Hotel Singapore. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and is scheduled to be sentenced November 9 before U.S. district judge Janis L. Sammartino.
Cantu admitted that on numerous occasions in 2012 and 2013, Glenn took him and others for drinks and dinner at posh eating and drinking places and provided him prostitutes. As of now, 28 individuals, including 21 current and former Navy officials and 5 civilian defendants, plus Glenn’s company, have been charged as part of the investigation.
Cantu left the Navy in 2014. He had held high posts, including assistant chief of staff for logistics for the commander of the Seventh Fleet. Dermot O’Reilly, deputy inspector general for investigations in the Department of Defense, said that the Glenn case is the “largest fraud and corruption scandal in the U.S. Navy’s history.”