On February 4, 2019, the Federal Communications released an Order creating a new division within the Enforcement Bureau that will be dedicated to guarding against fraud in the Universal Service Fund. This new Fraud Division will work closely with the Office of Inspector General and Department of Justice, where appropriate. The Order further states that the “…Commission rigorously policies Fund participants to ensure compliance with program rules and to protect against waste, fraud and abuse…” The E-rate program participants and beneficiaries will continue to receive scrutiny and Rosemary Harold, chief of the Enforcement Bureau stated that “Protecting taxpayer dollars as we use Universal Service Fund programs to bridge the digital divide lies at the heart of our work at the FCC.”
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Published February 6, 2019. Preserved as originally written. E-rate rules have changed since; for current guidance see Services or talk to a Guide.