Barrett C. White, Conspiracy to Defraud the E-Rate Program, Illinois 2010

State: Illinois
Category: White Collar Crime
Source: <a href="https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/owner-illinois-technology-company-pleads-guilty-scheme-defraud-federal-e-rate-program" style="color:#cc0000;" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">DOJ Press Release ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Â Ã¢â‚¬â€

GRIMY TIMES EXCLUSIVE

Barrett C. White, owner of an Illinois-based technology company, has pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to defraud the federal E-Rate program, according to a federal press release.

White, a resident of Illinois, was originally charged in U.S. District Court in New Orleans on Nov. 18, 2010, for his role in the conspiracy to defraud the E-Rate program.

According to the court document, White offered and delivered bribes and kickbacks to school officials responsible for the procurement of Internet access services in return for E-Rate contracts to his co-conspirators’ companies.

The E-Rate program was created by Congress in the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company, under the oversight of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

The program provides subsidies to economically disadvantaged schools and libraries. Depending on the financial needs of the applicant schools, the program pays 20 to 90 percent of the cost for Internet access and telecommunications services, as well as internal computer and communications networks.

As a result of the Antitrust Division’s investigation into fraud and anticompetitive conduct in the E-Rate program, including today’s plea, a total of seven companies and 21 individuals have pleaded guilty, been convicted at trial or entered civil settlements.

Those companies and individuals have been sentenced to pay criminal fines and restitution totaling more than $40 million. Fifteen individuals have been sentenced to serve jail time.

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