A co-worker let me know today that another one of my predecessor Bob Richter's business chums has pled guilty to one count of mail fraud and one count of tax evasion in a scheme to defraud the federal E-Rate program.
The investigation has now wrung guilty pleas from six men -- Tom Kennedy of Cisco, Rich Brown and Keith Maderios both of AT&T (then SBC Datacom), Scott Federowicz and Dave Dauphenais both of American Networks International and now Joe Mello, originally with AT&T and then an outfit called INS. There are very, very few (three, to be precise) of Bob's 1999-2003 business partners left who have not fallen beneath the Federal Juggernaut.
I am given to wonder just how far this taint goes, and if it's possible that the entire bunch of them was, in fact, crooked and I failed to see it. Though, of the three still standing I would be frankly shocked if any of them were involved.
The investigation has now wrung guilty pleas from six men -- Tom Kennedy of Cisco, Rich Brown and Keith Maderios both of AT&T (then SBC Datacom), Scott Federowicz and Dave Dauphenais both of American Networks International and now Joe Mello, originally with AT&T and then an outfit called INS. There are very, very few (three, to be precise) of Bob's 1999-2003 business partners left who have not fallen beneath the Federal Juggernaut.
I am given to wonder just how far this taint goes, and if it's possible that the entire bunch of them was, in fact, crooked and I failed to see it. Though, of the three still standing I would be frankly shocked if any of them were involved.
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It makes me sad, especially since he gave me a job there- I think that was free of any taint other than Amato's animosity. At least I hope no awful things were done in association with my position there.
This sends a creepy feeling down my spine, and literally makes me feel queasy. I had no idea any, never mind so many, people were defrauding the program. I was so proud of the Good Things we did with E-Rate, and now I have to wonder what deserving schools were cheated out of the funds they needed because of these selfish, greedy men.
There is unfortunately a long list of people who have been caught trying to defraud the program. I would be mortified to have my name on USAC's list of suspensions and debarments (actions to suspend or debar are also printed in the Federal Register viz Mr. Rich Brown's Notice of Suspension and of Proposed Debarment Proceedings). Of course, I suppose, being sensitive to public shame is something that separates honest people from crooks.