Tom Wright, an award-winning journalist and host of the FAT LEONARD podcast, dives into a jaw-dropping tale of corruption involving U.S. Navy officers and Malaysian defense contractor Fat Leonard. He reveals how Leonard lured military personnel with cash and scandalous perks, including secret orgy recordings. The discussion parallels the infamous Jho Low scandal, showcasing the moral decay within military ranks. Wright also touches on the contrast between accountability in American and Chinese corruption, offering a compelling exploration of ethics in high-stakes environments.
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Orgy Recordings
Fat Leonard secretly recorded orgies he organized for Navy officers using cameras in karaoke machines.
This footage is now in China's possession, creating a national security risk.
insights INSIGHT
Source of Leonard's Power
Leonard, a foreign contractor, gained undue power over the US Navy, raising concerns about oversight.
His control over ship movements and supplies stemmed from his network of corrupted officers.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Corruption Methods
Fat Leonard targeted officers who controlled ship scheduling and supplies, exploiting their vulnerabilities.
He used lavish dinners, gifts, and prostitutes to build a "mafia network" within the Seventh Fleet.
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The Man Who Fooled Wall Street, Hollywood, and the World
Wright, Tom (Wall Street Journal reporter)
Bradley Hope
Wright, Tom, Hope, Bradley
Tom Wright
The book details the extraordinary 1MDB scandal, where Jho Low, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, orchestrated a massive fraud. Over a decade, Low siphoned billions of dollars from an investment fund, using the money to finance elections, purchase luxury real estate, throw lavish parties, and even finance Hollywood films like 'The Wolf of Wall Street.' The authors expose the secret nexus of elite wealth, banking, Hollywood, and politics, and how Low’s actions led to him becoming an international fugitive facing criminal charges in Malaysia and the United States.
Red Roulette
An Insider's Story of Wealth, Power, Corruption, and Vengeance in Today's China
Desmond Shum
John Pomfret
Red Roulette is a memoir by Desmond Shum that offers a rare insider's perspective on China's elite, detailing his rise to wealth and power alongside his wife Whitney Duan. The book explores the corrupt relationships and guanxi that define China's business and political landscape, revealing the darker side of China's economic reforms. It also highlights the personal costs of navigating such a system, including the disappearance of his ex-wife Whitney Duan.
In the 2010s, US Navy officers took cash, prostitutes and more from a Malaysian defense contractor known as Fat Leonard. To tell a story that bears more than a hint of resemblance to the Jho Low 1MDB scandal, award-winning journalist Tom Wright (@tomwrightasia) joins me to discuss Fat Leonard’s relationship with the military and how it all came crashing down.
Tom is the host of the podcast series FAT LEONARD, and previously wrote a New York Times bestseller on Jho Low titled Billion Dollar Whale.
We discuss
How Fat Leonard managed to earn millions through US Navy contracts
The fate of the Navy officers who got mixed up with him
The secret orgy recordings now in China’s possession
Which Chinese historical events deserve the Death of Stalin treatment
ChinaTalk 
