{"id":24193,"date":"2016-06-09T21:38:11","date_gmt":"2016-06-10T04:38:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=24193"},"modified":"2016-06-09T21:38:11","modified_gmt":"2016-06-10T04:38:11","slug":"admiral-admits-lying-federal-investigators-massive-navy-bribery-fraud-investigation-video","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=24193","title":{"rendered":"Admiral Admits Lying to Federal Investigators About Massive Navy Bribery and Fraud Investigation (Video)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Leonard-Francis\"
Leonard Glenn Francis, owner of Glenn Defense Marine Asia<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

CALIFORNIA<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Robert Gilbeau<\/strong> plead guilty Thursday in federal court to charges that he lied to federal investigators to conceal his illicit years-long relationship with Leonard Glenn Francis, owner of Glenn Defense Marine Asia,<\/strong> the foreign defense contractor at the center of a massive bribery and fraud scandal, officials said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gilbeau, 55, of Burke, Virginia, plead guilty to one count of making a false statement.<\/span><\/p>\n

He was charged by information and is the highest-ranking U.S. Navy officer to be charged in the investigation so far.\u00a0 Gilbeau is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 26.<\/span><\/p>\n

In his plea agreement, Gilbeau admitted that he lied when he told agents from DCIS and NCIS that he had never received any gifts from Francis, the owner of Singapore-based GDMA.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gilbeau also admitted that he lied when he told investigators that he \u201calways paid for half of the dinner\u201d when he and Francis met about three times a year.\u00a0 Gilbeau further admitted that when he became aware that Francis and others had been arrested in connection with the fraud and bribery offenses in September 2013, he destroyed documents and deleted computer files.<\/span><\/p>\n

Francis previously pleaded guilty to plying scores of other U.S. Navy officials with gifts such as luxury travel, meals, cash, electronics, parties and prostitutes.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to his plea, in 2003 and 2004, Gilbeau was the supply officer on the USS Nimitz, where he was responsible for procuring all goods and services necessary for operation of the ship.<\/span><\/p>\n

He later served as head of the Tsunami Relief Crisis Action Team in Singapore, heading the Navy\u2019s logistics response to the Southeast Asia tsunami in December 2004, and in June 2005, Gilbeau was assigned to the office of the Chief of Naval Operations as the head of aviation material support, establishing policies and requirements for budgeting and acquisitions for the Navy\u2019s air forces, according to the plea agreement.<\/span><\/p>\n

In August 2010, after he was promoted to admiral, Gilbeau assumed command of the Defense Contract Management Agency International, where he was responsible for the global administration of Department of Defense’s most critical contracts performed outside the United States, according to admissions made in connection with his plea.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs a flag level officer in the U.S. Navy, Admiral Gilbeau understood his duty to be honest with the federal agents investigating this sprawling bribery scheme,\u201d said Assistant Attorney General Caldwell.\u00a0 \u201cBy destroying documents and lying about the gifts that he received, Admiral Gilbeau broke the law and dishonored his uniform.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOf those who wear our nation\u2019s uniform in the service of our country, only a select few have been honored to hold the rank of Admiral \u2013 and not a single one is above the law,\u201d said U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy of California.\u00a0 \u201cAdmiral Gilbeau lied to federal agents investigating corruption and fraud, and then tried to cover up his deception by destroying documents and files.\u00a0 Whether the evidence leads us to a civilian, to an enlisted service member or to an admiral, as this investigation expands we will continue to hold responsible all those who lied or who corruptly betrayed their public duties for personal gain.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe guilty plea of Rear Admiral Robert Gilbeau is an unfortunate example of a dishonorable naval flag officer who has betrayed his shipmates, the U.S. Navy and his country,\u201d said Acting Director Dermot O\u2019Reilly of the Department of Defense\u2019s Defense Criminal Investigative Service,\u00a0 \u201cAdmiral Gilbeau’s guilty plea should be a resounding message that DCIS, Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the Department of Justice will continue to investigate and seek to prosecute any individual, regardless of position or rank, who would put our mission of \u2018Protecting America\u2019s Warfighters\u2019 at risk.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Including Gilbeau, 14 individuals have been charged in connection with this scheme; of those, nine have plead guilty.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Retired Navy Captain Michael Brooks, Commander Bobby Pitts and Lieutenant Commander Gentry Debord were charged by a federal grand jury on May 25 and their cases remain pending. \u00a0Defense Marine Asia, the corporate entity, was also charged and has pleaded guilty.<\/span><\/p>\n

Francis and Ed Aruffo, former Defense Marine Asia, employees, have both pleaded guilty and await sentencing.<\/span><\/p>\n

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