Corruption

Navy admiral to plead guilty in ‘Fat Leonard’ corruption scandal

Rear Adm. Robert Gilbeau, a special assistant to the chief of the Navy Supply Corps, is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in San Diego late Thursday afternoon, court records show. He will plead guilty to one count of making a false statement to investigators, said David Benowitz, his defense attorney.

“In this unfortunate situation, he accepts responsibility for the decisions he made and for his conduct,” Benowitz said in an email to The Washington Post.

In the modern history of the Navy, only a handful of admirals have faced criminal prosecution. Just one admiral has been court-martialed since the end of World War II. A few others have been charged with crimes by civilian authorities shortly after they retired from the service.