A US Navy commander has been reportedly accused of giving away confidential information on ship routes to a Malaysian businessman in exchange for bribes, access to prostitutes and Lady Gaga tickets.
Navy commander Michael Vannak Khem Misiewicz passed on the classified information to Singapore-based Glenn Defence Marine Asia Ltd (GDMA).
GDMA chief Leonard Francis has been accused of conspiring with Misiewicz to divert US aircraft carriers, destroyers and other vessels to Asian ports where Francis could inflate costs, Sky News reports.
According to the report, Francis' firm overcharged the Navy millions of dollars for fuel, food and other services it provided, and invented tariffs by using phony port authorities.
Rear Admiral Terry McKnight, who does not know Francis personally, said that the businessman is legendary in military circles in that part of the world.
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The report said that authorities have arrested Misiewicz and Francis, as well as GDMA's general manager of global government contracts, Alex Wisidagama along with a senior Navy investigator, John Beliveau II.
The accused have pleaded not guilty and the hearing has been scheduled for November 8.
Meanwhile, senior Navy officials said that more people would likely be implicated in the scheme, but it was too early to tell how many or how high this will go in the naval ranks.
Navy spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby said Navy Criminal Investigative Service agents initiated their probe in 2010.
The report added that if convicted, the accused may face up to five years in prison on charges of conspiracy to commit bribery.
