The US navy has censured three admirals for their roles in a bribery scandal, the highest-ranking officers to be punished in the case so far.

Although a criminal investigation did not result in charges for the officers, the admirals had failed to uphold standards of conduct and would receive letters of censure from the navy’s secretary, Ray Mabus.

The officers “demonstrated poor judgment and a failure of leadership in prior tours”, Mabus said.

The admirals improperly accepted gifts, two “improperly endorsed a commercial business”, and one solicited gifts and services while stationed in the Pacific region in 2006-07, the navy said.

Censure letters in effect derail an officer’s career and, in this case, the three admirals will be allowed to retire, officials said.

The officers reprimanded were Rear Admiral Michael Miller, a special assistant to the superintendent of the US Naval Academy; Rear Admiral Terry Kraft, commander of US naval forces in Japan, and Rear Admiral David Pimpo, commander of naval supply systems command. All three were punished for their conduct while assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan.

The corruption scandal has shaken the US navy, with several officers pleading guilty and another arrested this month.

The Malaysian contractor at the centre of the scandal pleaded guilty last month to fraud charges, admitting to bribing officials with cash, prostitutes, Cuban cigars and Kobe beef.

Known as “Fat Leonard”, 50-year-old Leonard Francis, of Singapore-based Glenn Defense Marine Asia, confirmed that he had presided over a decade-long scheme involving tens of millions of dollars in bribes, prosecutors said.