Navy admiral pleads guilty to lying in bribery probe

SAN DIEGO (AP) — A Navy admiral on Thursday pleaded guilty to lying to federal authorities investigating a $34 million fraud scheme involving a Malaysian contractor known as "Fat Leonard" — becoming the highest-ranking military official to be taken down in the wide-spanning scandal.

Pletcher said it will also show how he continued to "deny the nature of his relationship" with Leonard Glenn Francis, who has admitted to bribing Navy officials with more than $500,000 in cash, prostitutes, luxury hotel stays and a staggering amount of others gifts in exchange for classified information to help his company, Glenn Defense Marine Asia.

According to the plea agreement, Gilbeau admitted that he lied when he told investigators that he had never received any gifts from Francis, nicknamed "Fat Leonard," because of his wide girth.

[...] defense attorney David Benowitz said he would "fight hard" to ensure his client — a decorated Naval officer — does not spend any time behind bars.

Before that, Gilbeau served from 2011 to 2013 at the Defense Contract Management Agency International, where he was responsible for the global administration of the Defense Department's most critical contracts outside the United States.