Fifth U.S. Navy Official Pleads Guilty in Singapore Bribery Scandal

File photo: U.S. Navy

By Bill Callahan

(Bloomberg) — A U.S. Navy officer pleaded guilty to bribery over allegations he gave classified information about where ships were scheduled to dock to a Singapore-based contractor in exchange for cash, gifts and prostitutes.

Commander Michael Misiewicz, 48, appeared Thursday in federal court in San Diego as the last of five Naval officials charged in the case to plead guilty. He admitted to one count of bribery and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery. He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison when he’s sentenced, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Pletcher.

The contractor at the center of the case, Leonard Glenn Francis, chief executive officer of Glenn Defense Marine (Asia), pleaded guilty in January 2015, joining six others who had already admitted wrongdoing, including a Navy captain, a commander and two other officials, along with two of Francis’s employees.

Mark Adams, a lawyer for Misiewicz, said after Thursday’s hearing that his client has accepted responsibility for his actions from the beginning of the case.

“He is extremely sorry for the harm he has caused to his family, the United States Navy and this great country,” Adams said in a statement. “The lawyers and the investigator working with Commander Misiewicz find him to be a respectful, conscientious and hard-working gentleman.”

The U.S. Attorney in San Diego said last week that the government’s investigation is continuing.

The case is U.S. v. Misiewicz, 15-cr-00033, U.S. District Court, Southern District of California (San Diego).

©2016 Bloomberg News.

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