A Navy officer just pleaded guilty to trading classified info for 'the services of a prostitute'

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Fat Leonard attorneys federal courthouse San Diego

Lenny Ignelzi/AP

Assistant US Attorneys Mark Pletcher (L) and Robert Huie talk outside a federal courthouse about the guilty plea of Leonard Francis, known in military circles as Fat Leonard, on bribery charges on Jan. 15, 2015, in San Diego.

A US Navy lieutenant commander has pleaded guilty to accepting cash, hotel expenses, and "the services of a prostitute" in return for handing over classified information.

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WieTodd Dake Malaki pleaded guilty in federal court today to bribery charges. He allegedly accepted the bribes in return for providing classified naval ship schedules to a defence contractor Glenn Defense Marine Asia (GDMA), according to a press release from the Department of Justice.

"Another Navy officer has now pleaded guilty and admitted to taking bribes to reveal classified military information to a major supplier," Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell has said.

"It is both troubling and disappointing how many Navy officers we have exposed as willingly falling prey to GDMA's corruption, and our investigation remains active and ongoing. Those who serve in our nation's military must uphold the public's trust or pay the consequences for their crimes."

Malaki has admitted to receiving the equivalent of $15,000 in benefits from GDMA since he began providing information to Leonard Glenn Francis, the former CEO and president of GMDA. In return for envelopes of cash, stays in luxury hotels in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Tonga, and "the services of a prostitute," Malaki gave Francis Navy ship schedules and invoice information on GMDA rivals.

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A total of eight individuals within the Navy have so far pleaded guilty to accepting bribes from GDMA in exchange for information.

Francis pled guilty in January 2015 to providing members of the Navy with over $500,000 in bribes, luxury travel, entertainment, and the services of prostitutes.