Leonardo's investigative work on Trump's crypto foreign ties has been referenced in Senate hearings about the corruption of US Foreign Policy, cited by high-ranking politicians, and used as evidence in a congressional letter requesting an immediate investigation to determine whether the Trump crypto dinner violates the federal bribery statute or the Foreign Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

Leonardo’s work on Generative AI Bias has been cited in reference to AI-policy recommendations at the local level, as well as in official policy frameworks about AI risk from national governments, international bodies such as the United Nations and IMF, and NGOs like Amnesty International. His work is referenced by tech executives of major companies like Microsoft, taught in university curriculums and books about AI, cited by dozens of academic research papers, and used as a main reference for AI-best practices at numerous institutions like IBM and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Leonardo is a 2024 recipient of the Online Journalism Awards (OJAs), recognizing Excellence in Technology Reporting, and the Sigma Award, recognizing the best data journalism from around the world, for his work on Generative AI Bias.