Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – Oscar Enrique Perez-Zumaeta, of Cancun, Mexico, has been sentenced to serve 42 months in prison for money laundering in connection with the Federal Communication Commission’s Lifeline Program.
The scheme involved Perez-Zumaeta’s company, PSPS Sales LLC, recruiting low-income individuals to apply for Lifeline service through Icon Telecom, an Edmond company owned exclusively by Wes Yui Chew. Icon participated in the wireless Lifeline Program from July 2011 until September 2013.
According to court records, Icon paid over one million dollars to PSPS Sales from December 2011 through April 2013. Perez-Zumaeta allegedly directed workers to enroll fictitious customers for Icon using phone book listings and forging Lifeline application forms.
On November 7, 2014, Perez-Zumaeta pleaded guilty to money laundering by depositing a $52,390.00 check from Icon into a bank account of PSPS Sales on December 7, 2012. He admitted that when he made that deposit, he knew that more than $10,000.00 of those funds was the result of criminal fraud against the FCC.
Perez-Zumaeta has been in federal custody since April 25, 2014, when he was arrested at the San Francisco airport. At his sentencing hearing yesterday, Judge Tim DeGiusti ordered Perez-Zumaeta to serve 42 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release.
The Lifeline Program, which was created in 1985, provides subsidies to participating telephone companies for wireless service for qualifying low-income customers. The Universal Service Administrative Company (“USAC”) administers the Lifeline Program on behalf of the FCC and under detailed federal regulations.
Icon received a total of $58,283,329 through the Lifeline Program during 2011, 2012, and 2013, despite having fewer than ten full-time employees. Perez-Zumaeta’s sentencing is a significant blow to those involved in the widespread scheme to defraud the Lifeline Program.
Key Facts
- State: Oklahoma
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
ðŸâ€â€™ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News