A Villager targeted in a Department of Justice investigation is accused of accepting lavish gifts from a Singapore-based contractor in exchange for information and influence he possessed in his position as a Navy captain.
David Lausman, 62, a resident of the Village of Bridgeport at Lake Sumter, served as executive officer of the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln, commanding officer of U.S.S. Blue Ridge, and commanding officer of the U.S.S. George Washington.
He is one of several active and retired Navy brass named as defendants in the investigation.
Lausman, who purchased his home in The Villages in 2014, had served as president of the Villages Republican Club. He resigned from that post this week.
According to a federal grand jury indictment unsealed this week, a group of Navy officers worked together to help Singapore-based defense contractor Leonard Glenn Francis and his company, Glenn Defense Marine Asia, pull off a colossal fraud that ultimately cost the Navy – and U.S. taxpayers – tens of millions of dollars.
Nicknamed “Too Tall,” Lausman and his fellow co-defendants allegedly communicated to Francis and GDMA through private email accounts rather than their official email accounts.
These excerpts form the grand jury indictment, detail some of Lausman’s involvement in the alleged scheme:
• On or about Jan. 29, 2008, during the U.S.S. Blue Ridge’s port visit to Hong Kong, Francis hosted and paid for a dinner event in the Alsace Room of the Petrus Restaurant, which Lausman attended. Dinner that evening was an eight-course meal, featuring black truffle soup, rock lobster salad, caviar, pan-seared duck liver, Dover sole, grilled Wagyu beef tenderloin Rossini, a selection of fine cheeses, and baked Alaska for dessert. Each course was paired with champagne or fine wine. The total cost of the event – venue, entertainment, dinner, and wine – was approximately $18,371.
• On or about Feb. 12, 2008, Francis asked Lausman to send a letter touting GDMA’s accomplishments. Lausman sent the letter, as requested, the next day.
• On or about April 16, 2008, Lausman emailed Francis, asking that Francis book a hotel room for him in Thailand for May 1-4, 2008. Francis made the VIP arrangements and said he wanted to discuss ports with Lausman in an upcoming conversation.
• On or about June 7, 2008, Lausman criticized a U.S. Navy Fleet Industrial Supply Center official for retaining one of GDMA’s competitors to render service to the U.S.S. Blue Ridge during an upcoming port visit to Vladivostok, Russia and threatened to hold FISC “responsible/accountable shortfalls in support.” The Department of Justice said Lausman exerted pressure on other officials within the U.S. Navy to award the Vladivostok ship contract to GDMA. On or about June 21, 2008, GDMA was notified of a “one-time” contract to support the U.S.S. Blue Ridge port visit to Vladivostok from July 2-5, 2008.
• On or about July 26, 2009, Lausman, now the commanding officer of the aircraft carrier U.S.S. George Washington, asked Francis to provide additional water taxis to ferry sailors off of the U.S.S. George Washington during its upcoming visit to Manila. “We will be good to go, Capt. Too Tall.” Francis responded.
• On or about Aug.10, 2009, Lausman sent Francis an email regarding a variety of topics about the upcoming port visit of the U.S.S. George Washington to Manila, Philippines. Lausman signed the email: “Your obedient and humble servant.”
• On or about June 3, 2010, Lausman sent Francis an email which telegraphed that the U.S.S. George Washington would be making a port visit to Francis’ port in Port Klang, Malaysia: “Looking forward to seeing you again welcoming us into port.”
• On or about Dec. 9, 2010: An internal GDMA email described sending an iPad and flowers to Lausman’s wife.
• On or about October 18, 2011, Lausman emailed Francis, disclosing that the U.S.S.. Mustin was deploying to Thailand to render assistance to flood victims: “Keep this between us only. Late breaking. Unofficial from me. Mustin is looking to go into port within 24 hours … possibly [Laem Chabang] to provide COMSERV for flooding … don’t know who knows this yet,” Lausman’s email said.
• On or about Nov. 11, 2011, Francis purchased a designer purse from a Versace store in Hong Kong for $11,345.83 which he gave to Lausman’s wife on or about Nov. 12, 2011.