Four Former Owners and Employees of Video Relay Service Companies, Defrauding FCC Program, New Jersey 2010

Four Former Owners and Employees of Video Relay Service Companies Plead Guilty to Defrauding FCC Program

Four former owners and employees of three different video relay service companies pleaded guilty to engaging in conspiracies to defraud the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Video Relay Service (VRS) program of more than $2.5 million.

The defendants, Kim E. Hawkins, Larry Berke, Alfia Iskandarova, and Robert Z. Rubeck, each pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Joel A. Pisano in Trenton, N.J., to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.

The indictment alleges that the defendants conspired with others to pay individuals to make fraudulent VRS phone calls and to process fraudulent VRS phone calls that were billed to the FCC through VRS provider Viable Communications Inc.

According to the plea documents, Hawkins, Berke, and Iskandarova admitted that their role in defrauding the FCC's VRS program led to a total loss of between $2.5 and $7 million. Rubeck admitted that his role in defrauding the FCC's VRS program led to a total loss of between $1 and $2.5 million.

At sentencing, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, as well as mandatory restitution and forfeiture.

The sentencing is scheduled for June 28, 2010.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/four-former-owners-and-employees-three-video-relay-service-companies-plead-guilty-defrauding