On February 21, 2020, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Western District of Tennessee announced a guilty plea entered by a Kentucky vendor. According to information presented in court, from 2004 until August 13, 2014, the defendant actively concealed a scheme directed by his co-defendant to defraud the federal E-Rate Program. Per the Superseding Indictment, the E-Rate Program allegedly paid approximately $6.9 million as a result of the fraud.
In describing the case, U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant stated, "Protection of federal grant programs that provide needed services and equipment to our schools in West Tennessee is a top priority of this office. When dishonest offenders conspire to defraud these programs for their own selfish gain and unjust enrichment, they not only steal tax dollars, but also hurt local schools in the process. We will continue to work with our federal partners to root out and expose such fraud against the government, to hold offenders accountable, and to recover ill-gotten gains."
The Western District of Tennessee News Release can be viewed here.