The case that continues to haunt the Navy – “Fat Leonard: How One Man Bribed, Bilked, and Seduced the U.S. Navy” – an MRE author series event
WASHINGTON, June 11 – Military Reporters & Editors is pleased to offer the public two means of participation in the MRE author series event this week. Interested persons may attend a live session with New York Times bestselling author and Washington Post reporter Craig Whitlock for an interview hosted by WHRO and American Home Front writer and MRE board member Steve Walsh.
His latest book now available on Amazon dives deep into the story of Leonard Glenn Francis, the Malaysian contractor who bribed his way to prominence with the U.S. Navy in the Pacific. The scandal exposed systemic weakness and ethical lapses at the highest level of the U.S. military. At least 200 admirals fell under scrutiny after Francis was taken into custody in 2013. As the cases worked their way through the courts, Francis fled house arrest in 2022 and was extradited back to the United States last year, where he awaits sentencing in San Diego.
Whitlock’s #1 New York Times Best Seller “The Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War” details an unflinching look at America’s longest war. His reporting on Afghanistan won the George Polk Award for Military Reporting and the Scripps Howard Award for Investigative Reporting. He is also a three-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.
View the livestream of this MRE author series event or attend in-person
This special live author interview series event takes place at the Washington newsroom of the Medill News Service and live broadcast is made possible by Medill Washington. The public is invited to attend the the event at Medill with a reception at 6:15 p.m. and the interview beginning at 7:00 p.m.
Watch the livestream here on Wednesday, June 12 at 7:00 p.m. EDT (UTC – 4)
Click the image above to watch the interview.
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- Advance the public understanding of the military, national security, and homeland defense.
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For more information, visit the MRE website at https://www.militaryreporters.org.