First published 2024
Craig Whitlock exposes Leonard Glenn Francis, the Malaysian defense contractor who became the center of the largest corruption scandal in US Navy history. Francis built his empire by greeting American admirals at Asian ports, hosting extravagant parties with thousand-dollar dinners, unlimited champagne, and sexual entertainment. His flawless American accent and generous hospitality made him seem like a loyal Navy ally. Behind this facade, Francis systematically bribed high-ranking officers while defrauding taxpayers of at least fifty million dollars. He collected military secrets and kept detailed blackmail files on scores of Navy personnel. Whitlock draws from confidential documents and Francis's own records to reveal how one man exploited military entitlement and hubris to compromise national security. The book chronicles a world-class con artist who turned Navy corruption into personal wealth while officials remained blind to his true motives until the damage was irreversible.
Genres: crime, non-fiction, 21st-century, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: hubris, military-entitlement, world-class-con-artist
Setting: Asia, United States
Period: 21st-century
470 pages · Kindle Edition · Simon & Schuster