A global businessman at the heart of a multimillion-dollar Navy bribery case has been ordered held without bail.
A federal judge in San Diego made the ruling yesterday after a prosecutor argued that Leonard Francis was an extreme flight risk because of his wealth and global connections.
A tentative ruling last week would have freed Francis on USD 1 million bail if he stayed at an apartment under rigorous surveillance and 24-hour guard.
The Malaysian businessman owns a company that services Navy ships at overseas ports. He was arrested in San Diego in September on charges that he offered Navy officers luxury travel, prostitutes and cash for providing ship routes and helping steer ships to those ports.
Francis, his cousin and three Navy officers have pleaded not guilty.
