Venezuela turns over fugitive Fat Leonard to US — but what did he do?

The United States has recently released Alex Saab, a close ally of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, in exchange for the release of 10 Americans imprisoned in the South American country including a fugitive defence contractor, known as "Fat Leonard".

The Biden administration on Wednesday announced the return of Fat Leonard, whose real name is Leonard Glenn Francis, who was involved in a major Pentagon bribery scandal, the BBC reported.

The American detainees were back on US soil late Wednesday, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said.

The deal is the Biden administration's boldest move yet to improve relations with the major oil-producing nation and extract concessions from the self-proclaimed socialist leader, leading to the release of the largest number of American prisoners in the country's history.

This comes after the White House suspended sanctions following Maduro's commitment to free and fair conditions for the 2024 presidential election.

Francis, the infamous fugitive billionaire who was the most high-profile prisoner involved in the deal, masterminded a $35 million fraud against the US Navy.

He was detained in September 2022, two weeks before attempting to board a flight from Venezuela to Russia and after escaping house arrest in California.

The Malaysian businessman was being held under house arrest after admitting to his role in a sprawling scam that cost the US tens of millions of dollars and implicated dozens of navy officers.

Prosecutors allege that Francis used his Singapore-based business to defraud the US Navy and give American officers cash and gifts as bribes.

Court documents accuse Francis of giving US officials millions of dollars’ worth of gifts, including lavish trips, top-shelf alcohol and wine, Spanish suckling pigs, Cuban cigars, and access to prostitution services.

Francis was first arrested in 2013 and pleaded guilty to offering $500,000 (£444,000) in bribes in 2015.

Journalist Tom Wright, who made a podcast with Francis entitled Fat Leonard, told the BBC that Francis made "huge amounts of money" after the 9/11 attacks by overcharging the US Navy.

According to Wright, Francis had agreed to do the podcast as he was "furious" over what he saw as a cover-up.

He said: "Admiral after admiral who were involved with him were not taken to court criminally. In the US, it was more lower level officers [who were taken to court]."

In a statement, President Joe Biden said Francis will now be "sentenced for his lead role in a brazen bribery and corruption case".

Alluding to the other US nationals released by Venezuela, he added: "I am grateful that their ordeal is finally over, and that these families are being made whole once more."