Naval Officers Plead GUILTY in Bribery Scandal

ADM Mike Mullen with "FAT" Leonard Glenn Francis

TWO NAVY OFFICERS LATEST TO PLEAD GUILTY
IN “FAT LEONARD” BRIBERY SCANDAL – CAPT JOHN
STEINBERGER AND CMDR JASON STARMER GET
“SLAP-ON-THE-WRIST” – ADMITTED THEY TRADED
SHIP MOVEMENT (PORTS OF CALL) INFO TO
CROOKED CONTRACTOR IN EXCHANGE FOR
FREE PROSTITUTES, GIFTS, CASH – BOTH MEN
TO BE PROCESSED FOR IMMEDIATE DISCHARGE

©2018 MilitaryCorruption.com

Add two more names to the scroll of shame.  A Navy captain and a “three-striper” have pleaded guilty in federal court to accepting bribes in the ongoing “Fat Leonard” (see Related Stories below) bribery scandal.

CAPT John Steinberger and CMDR Jason Starmer will be separated from the service very soon, now that plea deals have been cut with the authorities.  Quite frankly, both men – in our humble opinion – got off with just a “slap-on-the-wrist.” The higher-ranker wearing chicken wings got the best deal of all.

Both are the latest in a long line of easily-corrupted officers who accepted bribes from “Fat Leonard,” a rotund and extremely sleezy Malaysian business man whose been ripping off the U.S. taxpayers for many a year.  The crooked contractor is in federal custody in California and his testimony later this year promises to be sensational in the scope of how many Navy big shots he was able to corrupt and help him scam literally millions of dollars.

BOTH OFFICERS BRIBED WITH PROSTITUTES

Starmer, a former enlisted sailor, could have received a stiff prison sentence.  Instead, he made a deal with prosecutors.  The dishonest Navy commander had been charged with willful dereliction of duty, patronizing a prostitute (provided by Fat Leonard) and adultery.  Throw in “conduct unbecoming an officer” and lucky Starmer could have gone away for more than a few years.

CAPT Steinberger, a former surface warfare officer, got the best deal of all. After his guilty plea, he was told to pay a $3,000 fine and pack his bags.  At first, it looks like he skated all the way, but there’s one thing Starmer and Steinberger dread – having to walk the plank at a lower rank.

The final grade they will wear on the date they are officially retired, means that Starmer could go out the door as a lieutenant commander and his boss, separated with three stripes on his sleeve. A lifelong reminder that trading their honor for bribes like an hour or two in the sack with a Asian prostitute, was a very costly mistake.