Navy investigator pleads guilty in bribery case

http://hamptonroads.com/2013/12/navy-investigator-pleads-guilty-bribery-case

Navy investigator pleads guilty in bribery case
By Julie Watson
The Associated Press
© December 18, 2013

SAN DIEGO

A senior U.S. Navy criminal investigator pleaded guilty Tuesday to bribery charges stemming from a multimillion-dollar fraud probe targeting an Asian defense contractor.

The conviction of Naval Criminal Investigative Service agent John Beliveau II is a first for federal prosecutors in the massive scandal that has ensnared six Navy officials so far and could lead to an expansion of the investigation if Beliveau cooperates with authorities as part of his plea agreement.

In federal court Tuesday in San Diego, Beliveau acknowledged keeping Malaysian contractor Leonard Glenn Francis abreast of the yearslong fraud investigation that NCIS agents were conducting on Francis' company, Glenn Defense Marine Asia Ltd., or GDMA.

In exchange, Francis paid for plane tickets, hotels and prostitutes for Beliveau, according to the plea agreement. Francis has pleaded not guilty in the case that alleges GDMA overbilled the Navy by at least $20 million for port services. GDMA has provided fuel, food and supplies for Navy ships for 25 years.